The Kroger Co. and United Service Organizations (USO) have launched two new Mobile Food Kitchens sponsored by Kroger to support military service members. Through this collaboration, the USO and Kroger provide nutritious meals to military members, whether they are supporting natural disaster relief, serving in remote locations or attending basic training, according to a release.
"Kroger is making a real difference for America's service members, from forward deployed bases to the kitchen tables of military families," Brian Cowart, USO chief development and marketing officer, said in the release.
Launched in 2022, the first USO Mobile Food Kitchen sponsored by Kroger is based in Atlanta and has been in service throughout the year, including support for National Guard troops deployed to the Southeast to provide aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The new mobile food kitchens will make their way across the U.S. this month to be stationed in Kansas City, Kan., serving the Midwest, and in Salt Lake City, Utah, serving the West Coast.
"These mobile food kitchens provide a taste of home and feed the spirit of those who serve our country," Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO, said in the release. "We are proud to support our troops through Kroger's longstanding collaboration with the USO and give back to the military members and families who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom."
The Kroger Family of Companies is a longtime supporter of service members and military families, contributing more than $41 million to the USO through corporate funds and customer donations, making it the largest cumulative donor to the USO in the organization's 82-year history, the release said.
To celebrate Military Appreciation Month and the launch of the Midwestern USO Mobile Food Kitchen, more than 100 Kroger associates assembled 2,500 care packages that the USO will distribute to service members as they head out or return from deployments in the coming year.
The Mobile USO Program brings the programs and services of the USO directly to service members serving in remote areas and to locations without a USO center. The vehicles, which operate in the U.S. and Europe, range in size from smaller sprinter vans to large recreational vehicles and provide a wide array of support capabilities. In 2022, 19 USO Mobile vehicles hosted more than 750 events.