Albertsons, Entertainers Boost Hunger Relief Charities

The Albertsons Cos. Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s (EIF) joint charitable program, Hunger Is, designed to raise awareness and funds to end childhood hunger in America, has awarded more than $4.6 million to fund hunger relief charities that aid children nationwide.

"The funds raised in our stores are continuing to make a positive impact for children and schools throughout the country," said Christy Duncan Anderson, executive director of the Albertsons Cos. Foundation. "Thanks to the generosity of our customers and the dedication of our store teams, more children will start their school day with the fuel they need to succeed."

Hunger Is invited qualified organizations to respond with approaches to increase access to free and reduced-cost school breakfasts, to improve the nutritional quality of breakfast programs, and to expand weekend, summer and vacation feeding programs.

These grants are supported by the September 2016 Hunger Is fundraising campaign that included both customer donations at checkout and donations generated by the purchase of participating products in more than 2,300 Albertsons stores across 33 states. Participating Albertons banners included Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme Markets, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market and Carrs.

To date, Hunger Is has raised more than $18 million and funded 273 programs. A list of grant recipients can be found at hungeris.org/grantawards.

"I am overjoyed to witness Hunger Is making a difference on a local level by awarding over $4.6 million in grants to provide more breakfasts to children in need," said Viola Davis, award-winning actress and Hunger Is ambassador. "I'm so happy to help raise attention and start conversations about the critical issue of childhood hunger in America. I was one of the millions of children who went to school hungry every day."

Success Stories

Currently, only half of the 22 million children in the United States who are eligible for free or reduced-cost breakfast receive the meal. The following are examples of programs that will help increase access to healthy food for thousands of children:

• The Los Angeles Regional Foodbank was awarded a grant to support the creation of a new Children's Breakfast Program, which will provide breakfast items for the weekend and summer, ensuring that kids have access to breakfasts when school is out of session.  
• Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver was awarded a grant to support its Totes of Hope program, which provides children with totes filled with child-friendly food each Friday to eat over the weekend when not at school.
• Minnie's Food Pantry, in Plano, Texas, was awarded a grant to support its Breakfast Club program, which provides healthy breakfast items to children and their families, as well as nutrition education classes.
• The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank was awarded a grant to support its School Backpack Program, which provides child-friendly, nutritious food items every week to be taken home in the child's backpack on the weekends.

Hunger Is also continued its support for The Idaho Foodbank, which was awarded a new grant for its backpack program. The program fills children's backpacks with nutritious food each Friday so that the children have nourishment not just during the week, but also over the weekend.

Albertsons’ store divisions help select grant recipients in their respective regions, in concert with the Hunger Is Advisory Committee, which provides guidance in defining priorities and addressing needs, and makes funding recommendations for approval by the Albertsons Cos. Foundation and the EIF board of directors.

"We are so proud of the serious impact the Hunger Is initiative has been able to make on the critical issue of childhood hunger in America," said EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen. "Working with our valued partner, the Albertsons Cos. Foundation, and the members of the Hunger Is Advisory Committee, we will continue to dedicate our work to provide more breakfasts to children in need and to help America's children be ready for more learning, more of life."