The 2026 Community Uplift Award recipients demonstrate how the food industry addresses food insecurity, improves neighborhood health and creates lasting social impact through innovative programs that strengthen communities and enrich lives.
By: Heather Garlich, Senior Vice President, Insights, Education & Communications, FMI
A meal on the table. A design that promotes pride in a neighborhood. A child discovering the confidence that comes with riding a bike for the first time. These moments may look different, but they share something powerful: they are made possible by people who see an opportunity to uplift others and take action to make their communities stronger. The FMI Community Uplift Awards celebrate those people and the meaningful difference they make — one community, one family and one moment at a time.
After careful review by an independent panel of judges, including Stephanie Reid, president and COO of The Shelby Report; Dr. Ernest Baskin of Saint Joseph's University; Andrea Diamond of the University of Southern California; and Adam Brumberg of Cornell University, FMI is proud to recognize the recipients and honorable mentions of the 2026 Community Uplift Awards.
Food Insecurity
Winner: When SNAP benefit disruptions created uncertainty for many families during the 2025 holiday season, The Winn-Dixie Company responded quickly. Through its Gratitude Month Initiative, the grocer paired a $100,000 donation to Feeding America with practical ways for customers and associates to help feed neighbors in need. What started as a seasonal effort evolved into a year-round commitment. The company's "Give a Little, Feed a Lot" donation bag program generated nearly $200,000 in donated products within its first two months and has since provided more than $735,000 in donated products to more than 100 nonprofit partners. By making charitable giving part of the everyday shopping experience, Winn-Dixie created a sustainable model that continues to deliver meals, hope and support across the communities it serves.
Honorable Mention: Food Lion Feeds Programs Addressing Food Insecurity
Social Impact
Winner: Giant Food, "Artist/Community Bag Program"
For Giant Food, community pride became something customers could carry home. The retailer's Artist/Community Bag Program invited local artists from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C., to illustrate what home means in their communities. Their designs celebrated local landmarks, traditions, foods and shared experiences while turning a reusable shopping bag into a canvas for community storytelling. The program delivered tangible results. Between April 2024 and May 2026, Giant sold nearly 247,000 bags, prevented the use of more than 7.4 million single-use plastic bags and supported 936 nonprofit organizations. Donations generated through the program helped provide an estimated 1.1 million meals, proving that small consumer choices can add up to significant community impact.
Honorable Mention: Inmar Intelligence, Sustainability & Ethical Impact Strategy
Neighborhood Health Improvement
Winner: Yasso, "Can'd Aid Partnership"
A bicycle can be more than a bicycle. It can be a pathway to better health, independence and opportunity. Through its partnership with Can'd Aid, Yasso's Game On! Foundation helps children in under-resourced communities access active lifestyles through bike build and donation events across the country. In 2026 alone, volunteers assembled and donated 762 bicycles, including adaptive bikes and wheelsets, while contributing hundreds of volunteer hours. Since the partnership began, more than 4,300 bicycles have reached children through schools and nonprofit organizations in 18 states. Every bike donation helps remove barriers to physical activity while encouraging lifelong healthy habits and stronger community connections.
Honorable Mention: Stop & Shop, Nutrition Partners
FMI congratulates this year's recipients and honorable mentions for turning purpose into action and helping build stronger, healthier and more connected communities.
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