LANETT — Kroger stores in Lanett, Auburn and Opelika have raised funds for the Food Bank of East Alabama through its ‘Can Hunger’ campaign.

The Kroger locations in Lanett, Auburn and Opelika are a part of the company’s East Atlanta Division which covers Georgia, East Alabama and South Carolina. Combining their efforts, the three area stores raised over $17,000 for the campaign, adding to the total division’s $616,000 contributed to help fight hunger in the Southeast.

“Over the years, the Can Hunger campaign has helped supply food banks with countless meals for the communities we serve,” Felix Turner, corporate affairs manager for Kroger’s Atlanta Division said in a press release. “And it is with the help and generosity of our customers and associates that we are able to continue to provide food for those who are less fortunate.”

The campaign spanned from Nov. 18 to Dec. 24 and allowed shoppers to purchase $1, $3 and $5 icons for the cause. The 2018 campaign raised over $17,000, more than double 2017’s $8,061.21.

According to a spokesperson for Kroger, Lanett’s location contributed $3,368 last year, which is also up from their $2,086 raised in 2017.

“Kroger’s focus on Zero Hunger | Zero Waste and the engagement of our associates and customers in the area contributed to this significant increase,” Turner said. “With the generosity of individuals and businesses who all share the same vision, Kroger can continue partnering with local food banks to help feed families in need across the country and, hopefully, stop wasting the more than 40 percent of U.S.-produced food that goes unconsumed each year.”