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The Extra Mile Magazine

AAA and Feeding America: Making a Difference One Meal at a Time

Every meal makes a difference in the lives of those in need. Here’s how Feeding America and AAA are working to end hunger—and how you can help, too

Five AAA team members in red shirts stand behind a table filled with assorted boxed snacks and fruit cups, including applesauce, fruit gels, juice boxes, and granola bars. They are smiling and posing in a warehouse setting with shelves and banana boxes in the background.
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By Elizabeth Riehl
July 8, 2025·4 min read
Columbus - Mid-Ohio food Collective


Five AAA team members in red shirts pose behind a large white statue of a cow decorated with a rainbow-colored tail and ears. The wall behind them displays the logo for Fulfill Monmouth & Ocean and the slogan “Hunger Won’t Win Here.”


Columbus - Mid-Ohio food Collective


A group of volunteers in red AAA shirts gather around a table organizing red produce and plastic ties. Boxes labeled “California Tomatoes” are on the table, and volunteers are working together in a large, well-lit warehouse.


Four volunteers in red AAA shirts are wearing gloves and scooping dry cereal or pasta into clear plastic bags using metal scoops. The workspace includes metal tables and food scales.


Columbus - Mid-Ohio food Collective 3


Two volunteers wearing red shirts, white aprons, and gloves stand behind a table of pre-packaged meals in a commercial kitchen labeled “The Wawa Demonstration Kitchen.” Both are smiling and working at a long table covered in meal trays.


A bearded man in a red AAA shirt smiles while scooping dry pasta into a plastic bag at a volunteer station. A young woman next to him works on sealing bags. Boxes labeled “snacks” are stacked in the background


Two women in red AAA shirts stand at a packing station smiling in front of a box filled with canned goods. Behind them is a wall labeled “Nationwide Volunteer Center,” with rows of banana boxes stacked along the back wall and empty metal shelving overhead.


“Take the helping hand when you need it. And give back when you don’t.”

Anne Lee, a wife, mother of three, and dairy farmer in Upstate New York kept hearing these words of wisdom echo from her mother when her family was facing food insecurity.

For years, Anne and her family had been able to rely financially on their dairy cow operations. But when the dairy industry shifted in 2019, they found themselves struggling to keep food on the table. This is when they turned to their local food pantry for help and were met with open arms. With the assistance of their local pantry, Anne and her family were able to turn the time they had spent worrying about putting food on the table into time retooling their farm operations.

“We opened a butcher shop on the farm,” Anne said. “And it’s going really well. We’re supporting ourselves without any help for the first time in over a year.” 

Had it not been for the resources provided by the pantry, the Lee family wouldn’t be where they are today, Anne said. Now, they’re focused on giving back to the pantry and community that gave them so much.

Food share

Hunger can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time

Anne’s story is just one of the many inspirational stories of how food banks across America are helping families who are dealing with food insecurity and hunger. Stories like Anne's happen every day in every corner of the country. In fact, did you know that 100 percent of US counties have food insecurity and that 47 million Americans, or one in seven, are food-insecure? No one should have to worry about their next meal. Fortunately, there are organizations such as Feeding America that work unwaveringly to end hunger and food insecurity.

Two volunteers in red AAA shirts and blue gloves sort fresh produce at a food bank. One is placing cherry tomatoes into a mesh produce bag while the other smiles while handling a box of bell peppers. Colorful graphics and signs are visible on the wall behind them.

Teaming up to feed America

Feeding America is one of the largest nationwide nonprofits comprising a network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 meal programs. In 2024 alone, Feeding America distributed some 5.9 billion meals throughout its numerous food-assistance programs. Feeding America not only provides judgment-free food access but also works with American lawmakers to expand access to food-assistance programs. Thanks to millions of dedicated employees and volunteers, Feeding America is making remarkable strides to end hunger and food insecurity. 

“Take the helping hand when you need it. And give back when you don’t.”

Since 2020, AAA Club Alliance has provided some 2 million meals to local communities through its partnership with Feeding America. And during a series of National Hunger Week of Impact initiatives this past June, AAA  continued that mission as AAA Club Alliance associates volunteered more than 400 hours at more than a dozen local food banks, participated in packaging snacks for children’s summer programs, donated nearly 900 nonperishable food items, and helped raise funds to provide more than 400,000 meals to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need.

Food share

Heeding the call for help to end hunger

AAA is known as an organization that comes to the rescue of those in need—and that mission extends beyond the roadside. AAA associates continually spring into action to make a difference in their communities, and you can join in, too.

Here are three great ways to heed the call to help end hunger.

  • Volunteer at a partner food bank.
    There’s nothing more rewarding than spending an afternoon making a difference in your community. Explore the many ways to volunteer at your local food bank and pantries. Find your local food bank, and get involved today.
  • Spread the word.
    Tell your friends about how you’re taking part in the movement to end hunger, and invite them to volunteer with you. Share your experience on social media, and encourage your followers to do the same. Remember to use #AAA and #FeedingAmerica, and don’t forget to tag AAA and Feeding America.

If you need food assistance or know of someone in need, connect with Feeding America for resources.

 





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