ATLANTA — Area Kroger customers and associates over the holidays contributed more than $47,000 in six weeks to Kroger’s 2015 Can Hunger campaign and an additional $10,000 to a second initiative benefitting America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of Coastal Georgia.

From Nov. 15 to Dec. 24, Kroger customers supported the annual Can Hunger campaign by purchasing $1, $3 and $5 icons. Each icon purchased benefitted Feeding America food banks and helped to provide food to local families in need.

Additionally, a two-week company-wide promotion “Bringing Hope to the Table” — in partnership with key suppliers — featured hundreds of popular products at special sale prices. A portion of those proceeds also benefitted the local food bank.

The division-wide $850,900 donation collected during the 2015 campaigns – including more than $658,700 during the six-week Can Hunger campaign and more than $192,200 to Kroger’s “Bringing Hope to the Table” promotion — will provide the equivalent of more than 3.4 million meals to support the food banks across Georgia, Eastern Alabama, and South Carolina. The donated amount surpassed its $575,000 goal.

“Each year the support from our customers and associates across the Atlanta Division is overwhelming,” says Glynn Jenkins, public relations director for Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “And it is with their help and generosity that we are able to continue to provide food for those who are less fortunate.”

Kroger’s ongoing commitment to bring as much food as possible to hungry families also includes its company-wide Perishables Donations Partnership (PDP) program. The program allows fresh, wholesome food such as meat, produce and dairy products to be donated from Kroger stores to food banks that are able to safely handle perishable foods.

Through its PDP program, Kroger donated more than 2.2 million pounds, the equivalent of 1.8 million meals of perishable foods to food banks in the region this year.

More than 50 million Americans lived in food insecure households last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the generosity of Kroger’s customers makes a large impact in providing meals to those who are less fortunate.