Aldi donates food, money, for food bank disaster-relief programs

When they run out of money before they run out of month, many people face a touch choice: Pay rent, buy medicine or buy food?

Those choices "become dire consequences when a disaster strikes," said Matt Knott, president of Feeding America.

That's why when he was touring a food bank in Beaumont, Texas, a week after Hurricane Harvey hit, he was thrilled to see pallets and pallets of Aldi food boxes that had been stored there in advance. The line for food was three miles long, he said.

On Tuesday, Aldi again helped Feeding America prepare for disasters by donating $100,000, and 3,000 boxes of nonperishable food.

"Together we are building a strong partnership and together we are truly feeding America," said Julie Yurko, chief executive officer of the Northern Illinois Food Bank, a member of Feeding America.

Roughly 700 employees from Aldi's U.S. headquarters in Batavia, and one of its warehouses, packed 3,000 boxes with Aldi-brand goods. The food will be sent to two food banks in Florida, one in Texas and one in Missouri.

The boxes contained ready-to-eat chicken- and tuna-salad kits; tuna; dried berries; fruit cups; instant quinoa; canned soup; canned green beans; fruit cocktail; peanut butter; instant oatmeal; granola bars; and a zipper bag with paper bowls and plastic spoons.

They also packed encouragement, putting a handwritten note in each box: "You are stronger than you know. Stay hopeful!"

Aldi employees in California, Texas and Florida also packed an additional 2,000 boxes.

This is the second year Aldi has packed disaster boxes. Food leftover from Tuesday's event will be given to the Northern Illinois Food Bank warehouse in Geneva. The food bank has been getting donations from Aldi warehouses and stores since 2012.