(NewsNation) — Food solutions company SpartanNash donated more than $1 million in food, supplies and financial assistance to Ukraine as the months-long war wages on.
“We are committed to a mission to deliver the ingredients for a better life, and rigorously committed to the notion of people first,” President and CEO Tony Sarsam said on “Morning in America.”
Items shipped to Ukraine include canned meat, energy bars, water and personal care items, among other offerings. SpartanNash also made a $25,000 cash donation to the global nonprofit Convoy of Hope. The funds will used to provide 7,500 additional meals to families fleeing the conflict.
“When we saw this humanitarian disaster unfolding in Eastern Europe. We didn’t want to just stand with Ukrainian, we wanted to mobilize and actually help folks as quickly as possible,” he adds.
Sarsam says the Grand Rapids-based company has always been committed to serving others. SpartanNash’s military division provides products to 160 military commissaries and over 400 exchanges located in 39 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Korea and Japan.
He said he is encouraging other major companies to lead by example.
“I implore them to think about it the way we did. You have the capability and that capability becomes an obligation, that’s an obligation to help,” Sarsam said.
Saram says the company is not done giving yet. SpartanNash will continue collecting donations from key vendor partners in the U.S. and working closely with the Convoy of Hope team for on-the-ground distribution in impacted areas throughout Europe.