Grocer announces Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant recipients following the namesake’s 103^rd birthday

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is proud to announce the 2022 recipients for the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program. The corporate initiative supports deserving nonprofits in the fight for racial equity and social justice while addressing widespread disparities in education, food insecurity and health care.

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Southeastern Grocers announces 30 recipients of the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant with funds totaling $300,000 following the 103rd birthday of the grant's namesake Romay Davis. (Photo: Business Wire)

Following the recent 103^rd birthday of the grant’s namesake, SEG presents the 30 recipients of the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant with funds totaling $300,000. The deserving nonprofit organizations are:

• Baptist Health
• Bethune-Cookman University
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana
• Brighter Bites
• Communities In Schools of Jacksonville
• Covenant House New Orleans
• Feeding Northeast Florida
• Feeding Tampa Bay
• Grace Medical Home
• Hope Haven
• Jack & Jill Center
• Jacksonville Humane Society
• Jones Valley Teaching Farm
• Junior Achievement of North Florida
• MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation
• Schoolyard Roots
• Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc.
• Society of St. Andrew
• Son of a Saint
• Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) – New Orleans
• Tankproof
• Teach For America Jacksonville and Central Florida
• The Community Health Center of West Palm Beach
• The Sanctuary of Northeast Florida, Inc.
• Tree Hill Nature Center
• Vision Is Priceless Council, Inc.
• Women's Breast & Heart Initiative
• Youth Empowerment Project

Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “We wholeheartedly believe our differences are our greatest strengths, and we pride ourselves in being a people-first company that proudly advocates for inclusivity for all. Ms. Romay serves as an inspiration to our associates and customers with her unwavering spirit and dedication in the face of adversity, and her life serves as a testament to the power of challenging the inequities faced by many individuals, families and communities. Today and every day, we wish to express our deep gratitude to Ms. Romay, and we hope the legacy of this grant supports these deserving organizations and others in empowering and amplifying the voices of individuals of all backgrounds as we work together to create meaningful positive change in the communities we serve.”

SEG takes pride in fostering a culture of belonging for associates, customers and communities throughout its five-state footprint. The mission of the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program is to provide essential funding to nonprofits that share the grocer’s commitment to inclusivity and strive to empower authenticity and eliminate long-standing barriers.

Since the grant’s inception in 2020, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation have awarded $685,000 in funding to 63 deserving community organizations that take meaningful action to help combat social injustice by bridging the gap of inequities experienced by underrepresented populations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.

More About the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Namesake

The namesake for the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program is 103-year-old Winn-Dixie associate Romay Davis. During a time when women and people of color faced restricted rights, Ms. Romay consistently broke barriers by challenging society’s limited beliefs with unfathomable accomplishments, such as being a WWII Private First-Class veteran, NYU multi-degree scholar, New York fashion designer and model, Taekwondo Black Belt, community advocate and much more. At the young age of 80, Ms. Romay rejoined the workforce as a Winn-Dixie associate. After two decades of working for the grocer, Winn-Dixie’s parent company, Southeastern Grocers, honored Ms. Romay as the namesake of a program that supports the fight for racial equity and social justice. Ms. Romay’s life is an inspiration to all and her incredible legacy will live on through the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant.

About Southeastern Grocers

Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is an omnichannel retailer and one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S., serving customers in brick-and-mortar grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies as well as online with convenient grocery delivery throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and a strong commitment to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com

About SEG Gives Foundation

SEG Gives Foundation is the charitable arm of Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. The SEG Gives Foundation aligns giving with causes that are priorities to the communities SEG serves, including the fight against hunger, support for military service members and their families, relief to those affected by extreme weather and natural disasters and championing belonging, inclusion and diversity by combating social injustice to bridge the gap of inequities faced by many individuals, families and communities. Southeastern Grocers strives to be ingrained in its communities and, through the SEG Gives Foundation, better the lives of its customers and neighbors.

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