Kraft Community Nutrition Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Food Banks across the Nation
Chicago - On June 5, Kraft Foods Inc. will recognize Hunger Awareness Day and the work of America's Second Harvest—The Nation's Food Bank Network as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Kraft Community Nutrition Program, an innovative partnership that has provided more than one billion servings of fresh food to people in need and $26 million dollars in grants to food banks.
Kraft will join together with 10 America's Second Harvest network food banks across the country to commemorate its long-term partnership with America's Second Harvest and their joint work to fight hunger and revolutionize food delivery to provide fresh, healthy and nutritious food to the more than 25 million low-income men, women and children that rely on America's Second Harvest food banks for nutritious meals.
"At Kraft, we applaud America's Second Harvest and its food bank partners for their exemplary efforts to provide nutritious, high-quality fresh food to families and children in need across the United States," said David Brearton, Executive Vice President of Global Business Services & Strategy at Kraft and a board member of America's Second Harvest.
"As part of Kraft's long-standing commitment to help fight hunger and improve nutrition among America's adults and children, we are pleased to support and partner with these organizations to pioneer ways of feeding the greatest number of people in need with highly nutritious food from a variety of sources."
America's Second Harvest is the largest charitable hunger-relief organization in the country, with a network of more than 200 member food banks serving all 50 states and feeding 25 million Americans each year.
One of the first companies to partner with America's Second Harvest, Kraft has been at the forefront in the fight against hunger donating close to $6 million in cash and $568 million worth of food over the last two decades.
On Hunger Awareness Day, Kraft will recognize the following organizations: Northern Illinois Food Bank (St. Charles, IL), Alameda County Food Bank (Oakland, CA), Capital Area Food Bank (Washington, DC), Food Bank of Southeast Virginia (Norfolk, VA), San Antonio Food Bank, Second Harvest Heartland (St. Paul, MN), The Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Marion Polk Food Share (Salem, OR), Food Bank for City of New York, Greater New Orleans Food Bank, and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Kraft Foods will also deliver a truck load of groceries and Kraft products to the food banks on June 5.
More than 35 million people in the United States, including 13 million children, don't know where they will find their next meal. Not only are these men, women and children facing hunger and food insecurity, but they also are disproportionately impacted by obesity and chronic diseases caused by lack of access to nutritious food. According to the 2006 Hunger Survey conducted by America's Second Harvest, which surveyed more than 30,000 food pantries and soup kitchens within America's Second Harvest network, 29 percent of households served by the network report having a least one family member in poor health.
"Healthy fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood are often expensive and difficult for low-income families to afford. Traditionally, food banks and food rescue organizations have faced challenges in providing fresh produce and meats to clients, due to lack of access, and the difficulty and costs associated with transporting, storing and handling perishable items," said Vicki Escarra, President and Chief Executive Officer of America's Second Harvest.
Kraft's Community Nutrition Program works with America's Second Harvest and its partner food banks to create long-term change in fighting hunger and improving the quality and nutrition of food available to people in need. The program increases the collection and distribution of non-shelf-stable food, including fresh produce and seafood, prepared food and other nutritious food, by providing food banks and food rescue organizations with the necessary funds to improve infrastructure, such as purchasing refrigerated equipment and trucks and training staff.
"Kraft's founding investment and continued support of our Produce Program helped America's Second Harvest distribute more than 72 million servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in communities across the country last year alone. Through tremendous investments of both food and funds in the America's Second Harvest Network, Kraft Foods is a vital partner in our work to end hunger in America," said Escarra.
Ms. Escarra will join the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Kraft employees, volunteers and America's Second Harvest supporters at a breakfast event taking place in Park City, IL on June 5. To learn more about this particular event visit www.northernilfoodbank.org. Events honoring Hunger Awareness Day will also be held across the country with each of the 10 food banks.
Community members interested in learning more about America's Second Harvest and how they can help fight hunger on Hunger Awareness Day and year round can visit www.secondharvest.org.
To learn more about Kraft Foods' Community Nutrition Program, visit www.kraft.com.
For media inquiries, please contact :
Sara Jones
(206) 239-0186
# # #
About Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies with annual revenues of more than $34 billion. For more than 100 years, Kraft has offered consumers delicious and wholesome foods that fit the way they live. Kraft markets a broad portfolio of iconic brands in 155 countries, including seven brands with revenue of more than $1 billion, such as Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese; Post cereals; Nabisco cookies and crackers; Jacobs coffees and Milka chocolates. Kraft became a fully independent company on March 30, 2007, and is listed in the Standard and Poor's 100 and 500 indexes. The company also is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more information, visit the company's website at www.kraft.com.
About Kraft Contributions
Last year, Kraft provided $84 million in food and financial support to hundreds of non-profit organizations worldwide.
Back to U.S. News Releases 2007.