Nourishing Our Communities is Our Calling - Charles Campbell

Nourishing Our Communities is Our Calling – Charles Campbell

Meet Charles Campbell, Food Lion Store Manager in Raeford, N.C. This is his story:

Why is it important for you to give back to your community?

It has always been a personal thing from within to want to help others.  A sense of knowing folks can rely on you because you are dependable and because in their time of need, they know they have somewhere they can go and someone they can reach out to. My parents have always instilled in me the importance to help others when you can.  I also served active duty in the Navy. From my military experience, I received a sense of discipline, responsibility, a strong sense of service and wanting to help my fellow citizens.  Everyone is a brother and a sister to me because we are all family and that is what family does, they all help each other. 

Why are you proud to work for Food Lion?

If I am completely honest, it makes my chest swell. It is a great organization and it gives me a strong sense of pride that we are not just here to sell groceries. We are here to help our neighbors in their time of need however we can through things like Food Lion Feeds. I encourage my team to help when they can.  Coming from military and law enforcement background, to be able to serve for a company who reaches out to folks within the military and in the community to let them know there are ways of getting helped when you are challenged is just great. 

Why is food insecurity in the military an issue in your eyes?

I think a lot of folks see military and they see the big budgets that are spent on weapons or technology but as a young person coming in the military as a lower-ranking servicemember, that big budget is not in your budget. So, these neighbors are challenged trying to raise a family. Being able to come into a Food Lion where things are easy and affordable and where we can meet their budget needs is a big thing.  Having been in the military, your salary is X and Y and when you got Z and W and V, you have to make choices. Is it going to be towards your rent, is it going to be your food, your gas to get where you need to be or towards diapers for your newborn?

How has Food Lion and Food Lion Feeds supported the military over the years?

Food Lion gives their customers options, especially in our community where there is an abundance of military men and women. These individuals know they can come in to our stores and nourish their families in a way that won’t hurt their budget for other things that they may have to spend money on.