September is National Hunger Action Month, and Albertsons and Vons have partnered with Three Square to bring awareness, receive donations and help families with cost-effective and nutritious meals.
National Hunger Action Month is an annual campaign held in September, led by Feeding America. Its purpose is to raise awareness about food insecurity and encourage action to combat hunger. Throughout September, Albertsons and Vons are accepting monetary donations at their registers for Three Square to support families while addressing hunger.
Albertsons Companies, a supermarket chain across the country, owns both Albertsons and Vons, offering a variety of produce, meats, bakery items and a deli.
Three Square, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, was created in 2007 to serve the residents of Clark, Lincoln, Nye and Esmeralda counties, providing wholesome food to hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community.
Chef Joe Leininger, executive chef and director of culinary operations of Three Square, develops every meal, crafted by registered dietician Sheena Skelton, nutrition initiatives manager, in the Three Square kitchen. The statistics indicate that the organization feeds hundreds of children and prepares 1,000 frozen senior meals daily.
“I review the health and nutrition across all of our food bank operations, and I consult on all of our programs that serve more specific populations,” explained Skelton. “I determine the nutrition components for each of those programs and what is appropriate to the populations that we’re serving.”
“Three Square can’t pursue our mission without our amazing partners, and this wonderful partnership with Albertsons, Vons and Las Vegas Review-Journal is a great way to raise awareness, get our recipes out there, and just continue to provide meals for neighbors,” said Leininger. “Through this initiative, we’re helping people create meals they’ll enjoy without spending a lot of money. We’re also inspiring our community to help neighbors access the food they need.”
He praised the culinary team at Three Square community kitchen, as well as the volunteers, for crafting and cooking healthy meals.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal 7@7 video series showcases the chef offering recipes that are nutritious, tasty and cost-effective, including using seasonal produce. In the fall, vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash, green beans and eggplants, and fruits like nectarines and apples can add taste and nutrition. The chef recommended refrigerating all produce and avoiding overripe produce.
“I think there’s maybe a misunderstanding that buying healthy food is expensive. There’s still a way to cook healthy meals without it being expensive. I hope that these videos with recipes can show the public this. Because there is a misconception that it is cheaper to eat at a fast food place, but shopping and preparing healthy meals is really much cheaper,” said Leininger.
You can view a couple of these healthy low cost recipes here: White Bean Turkey Chili or Chicken Primavera Pasta.
Skelton agreed that with planning, including writing a list, purchasing healthy foods can help a family stay within their budget while creating tasty meals. Albertsons and Vons offer a free app featuring weekly specials, a customizable digital list, and a search bar that allows customers to find products, view additional sales and check for discounts on purchases.
Three Square Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, released its most recent Map the Meal Gap study in 2025.
- 16% – The percentage of the population in Clark County who are food insecure. Three Square’s service area also includes three rural counties: Esmeralda, Lincoln, and Nye. Though the rural population is smaller, the food insecurity rate in each county ranges between 13.6%–21.9%.
- 57.8 million – The number of meals needed each year to close the gap between the need for food and what is currently made available through federal nutrition programs and charitable organizations.
- $3.63 – The average price of a meal in Clark County. Rural communities in Nevada often have an even higher average meal cost than their urban counterparts.
Three Square, Albertsons and Vons are proud to participate in National Hunger Action Month. For more info or to donate, visit threesquare.org.