In response to the COVID-19 impact on Houston’s most vulnerable communities, Houston Rockets star James Harden has teamed up with Kroger to provide a weeks’ worth of groceries to six hundred families each week for eight consecutive weeks, benefitting five thousand Houston-area families. The donations will be distributed to several local food pantries serving residents in the following areas: Alief (Southwest Houston), Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Southeast and Northwest Houston. The first distributions will take place this Thursday, April 16 and continue through Thursday, June 4.

The selected families will be identified by each participating food pantry to receive a combination of fresh meats, bread, milk, produce and staple canned goods. All groceries will be distributed by Kroger Houston in cooperation with the Houston Food Bank.

“We’re proud to be partnering with James Harden on this effort to help local families in need,” said Joe Kelley, Kroger Houston division president. “We know that many families are struggling to make ends meet and keep food on the table. It’s our responsibility to do something about it.”

Harden’s contribution is made through his charitable organization, 3 The Harden Way Inc., founded with his mother, Monja Willis. 3 The Harden Way was established to provide higher learning opportunities for future leaders of our nation. The foundation is dedicated to bridging economic and educational gaps in the Houston Metropolitan Area by providing academic financial support to high achieving students demonstrating leadership within communities facing economic hardship.

The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2018. The Foundation was formed to support initiatives that create communities free of hunger and waste.