Meijer suspends service at deli, donate $2M to food pantries to help families during coronavirus outbreak

With millions of people in Michigan, Illinois, and across the midwest impacted by the coronavirus and closures because of the illness, Meijer is taking steps to better serve people and feed families in need.

Meijer announced on its Facebook page Saturday night that it would be suspending its deli salad service and meat service counter during the coronavirus so that team members can instead prepare and package those items for sale in the refrigerated cases.

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The company wrote it does not plan to close any stores but is making the move to best serve customers. Meijer did not say what other areas would possibly be suspended, aside from the meat counters and deli salad areas.

"Meijer has no plans to close any of our stores. However, to best serve our customers, we are suspending service at certain service areas such as meat counters and deli salads so that our team members can prepare and package those items for sale in our self-refrigerated cases. Our store teams are working hard to make sure our customers have the products they need."

Additionally, Meijer is lending a hand to help families. Effective Monday, all schools in Michigan are closed, per order of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, until April 6. For many families and children, the meals they eat at school are the healthiest meals they get each day. So Meijer is donating over $2.2 million to 400 Simply Give food pantry partners.

Simply GIve, which is a food program set up by Meijer to help feed thousands across the midwest, will use the money to help feed hungry families, Meijer said. 

Other states across the country have done the same thing, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Minnesota.