Feeding America

Nationwide has two workplace giving campaigns, Operation Feed and Backpack Buddies, in support of Feeding America food banks.

Feeding America

For more than 20 years, Nationwide has partnered with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank to help provide food to citizens in central Ohio. Nationwide volunteers sort food and pack meal boxes. Their efforts help provide food to more than 500 food pantries in 20 counties. In addition to volunteer shifts at the Foodbank, hundreds of associates organize and contribute to local fund-raising events in support of Feeding America's food banks.

Since 2000, Nationwide associates have contributed 11.2 million meals − feeding more than 290,000 families − to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. 

Backpack Buddies

In 2008, Nationwide started a new program called the Backpack Buddies. It is aimed at fighting childhood hunger on weekends and school breaks. The Food Bank of Iowa launched the program with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa to provide a sack filled with kid-friendly foods to low-income children on weekends, when they do not have access to the federal free and reduced-price meal program through school.

Central Iowa Nationwide associates brought in more than 25,000 food items, more than 4,800 pounds of food, and more than $1,700 for the program. These donations equate to nearly two months of weekend meals for the kids.