JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Jacksonville-based grocery store chain Winn-Dixie, announced it is increasing aid to help people dealing with the war in Ukraine.
“We are donating $1.1 million of needed supplies to Mission 823 to help the Ukrainian people to continue to get the things they need,” said Winn-Dixie Regional Vice President Shawn Sloan.
Those supplies include truckloads of nonperishable food and toiletries, which are desperately needed by refugees and people who are still in Ukraine but are running low on necessary items.
Previously, Southeastern Grocers donated $250,000 to help Ukrainians.
Mission 823, a rescue organization based out of Central Florida, has a team in Ukraine helping people escape Russian forces and providing aid to refugees. When supplies started running low, Southeastern Grocers got involved to help the organization help the people of Ukraine.
Sloan said the store chain employs people who immigrated from Ukraine, so there was a moral obligation to send much-needed supplies to people who are suffering as a result of the Russian invasion.
“Like cleaning and sanitation supplies, personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, as well as nonperishable food items,” Sloan said. This is what’s really needed in their effort to what they’re fighting right now.”
Mission 823, which has teams in Poland in addition to Ukraine, will be distributing the donated supplies.
“We are grateful to Southeastern Grocers for their generous contribution in support of the Ukrainian people. It’s because of compassionate, people-forward companies like SEG that we’re able to provide essential aid to evacuees and other at-risk groups,” Mission 823 founder Shawn Sullivan said in a statement.
He also posted this video to social media about their rescue efforts.
“We’re also jousting and sheltering refugees and evacuees. Some are staying with us and others are transferring to the border at our base in Western Ukraine. So we really need your support at this time. We are overwhelmed,” Sullivan said.
And this is also why Southeastern Grocers is ramping up its support -- because what’s happening in Ukraine doesn’t go unnoticed.
“We’re seeing the effect on the refugees and what’s happening on the streets. Every day, you hear about more devastation and honestly a lot of need and suffering among the citizens of Ukraine, whether they’re children or adults, we saw that as a need,” Sloan said.
In addition to the $1.1 million worth of supplies and a check for $250,000 being donated to help the people of Ukraine, 100% of the money from sales of Ukrainian vodka at Winn-Dixie stores goes directly to the people of Ukraine. The sale started on March 1 and will end Thursday night.