Kroger, ConAgra Jointly Donate $750,000 to Second Harvest
CHICAGO -- The Kroger Co. and ConAgra Foods are working together to donate $750,000 for hunger relief through a new Families Feeding Families program.
The gift, one of the largest donations ever made by a retailer/manufacturer partnership to America's Second Harvest food banks, will assist more than 40 food banks and food-rescue organizations serving thousands of families in 15 cities, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix, Roanoke and Salt Lake City.
The Families Feeding Families program will aid America's Second Harvest's network of hunger-relief groups as part of in-store promotions at Kroger locations for a variety of ConAgra Foods brands. The promotions -- which will run from March 6-19 -- will increase awareness among shoppers on the issue of hunger in local communities, and include in-store radio, point-of-purchase signage and print advertising. Among ConAgra Foods' participating brands are Banquet, Butterball, Chef Boyardee, Fleischmann's, Healthy Choice, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Parkay and Reddi-wip.
"This major donation will feed tens of thousands of people served by our food banks and food-rescue organizations," said Robert Forney, president and c.e.o. of America's Second Harvest, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the nation's largest hunger-relief organization.
"Both The Kroger Co. and ConAgra Foods have been long-time partners in our efforts to feed the nation's hungry. We're extremely grateful for the commitment to hunger relief demonstrated by this donation."
According to America's Second Harvest, each dollar donated will help provide four bags of food and 15 meals for families in need, for a total with the Families Feeding Families gift of an estimated three million bags of food and 11.3 million meals.
"It's unthinkable in America that people go hungry, especially children," said Dennis O'Brien, president and c.o.o., ConAgra Foods Retail Products. "We are eager to partner with Kroger to support local food banks in their markets. This partnership will donate up to $50,000 to America's Second Harvest food-bank affiliates in each of 15 different cities."
In a statement, Lynn Marmer, Kroger's group v.p. of corporate affairs, said: "At a time when food banks across the nation are facing unprecedented demand, and 36 million people in our nation are living with hunger, this partnership will provide much-needed support to local food banks and working families."
Families Feeding Families builds on ConAgra Foods' and Kroger's strong
track records in hunger relief. In 1999, ConAgra created Feeding Children Better, the nation's largest corporate initiative dedicated to fighting child hunger. As part of that effort, ConAgra Foods sponsors the America's Second Harvest Kids Cafe program, one of the nation's largest free meal services for children. ConAgra Foods has funded 195 Kids Cafes across the U.S., providing nutritious food to hungry children in safe and nurturing environments.
Kroger consistently ranks as one of the largest retail contributors of food and grocery products to America's Second Harvest, and the company twice has been named "Retailer of the Year" by the non-profit organization. Since 1999, Kroger has donated more than 104 million pounds of food to the organization. Kroger's retail divisions work with more than 40 regional food banks around the country that are affiliated with America's Second Harvest.
The gift, one of the largest donations ever made by a retailer/manufacturer partnership to America's Second Harvest food banks, will assist more than 40 food banks and food-rescue organizations serving thousands of families in 15 cities, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix, Roanoke and Salt Lake City.
The Families Feeding Families program will aid America's Second Harvest's network of hunger-relief groups as part of in-store promotions at Kroger locations for a variety of ConAgra Foods brands. The promotions -- which will run from March 6-19 -- will increase awareness among shoppers on the issue of hunger in local communities, and include in-store radio, point-of-purchase signage and print advertising. Among ConAgra Foods' participating brands are Banquet, Butterball, Chef Boyardee, Fleischmann's, Healthy Choice, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Parkay and Reddi-wip.
"This major donation will feed tens of thousands of people served by our food banks and food-rescue organizations," said Robert Forney, president and c.e.o. of America's Second Harvest, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the nation's largest hunger-relief organization.
"Both The Kroger Co. and ConAgra Foods have been long-time partners in our efforts to feed the nation's hungry. We're extremely grateful for the commitment to hunger relief demonstrated by this donation."
According to America's Second Harvest, each dollar donated will help provide four bags of food and 15 meals for families in need, for a total with the Families Feeding Families gift of an estimated three million bags of food and 11.3 million meals.
"It's unthinkable in America that people go hungry, especially children," said Dennis O'Brien, president and c.o.o., ConAgra Foods Retail Products. "We are eager to partner with Kroger to support local food banks in their markets. This partnership will donate up to $50,000 to America's Second Harvest food-bank affiliates in each of 15 different cities."
In a statement, Lynn Marmer, Kroger's group v.p. of corporate affairs, said: "At a time when food banks across the nation are facing unprecedented demand, and 36 million people in our nation are living with hunger, this partnership will provide much-needed support to local food banks and working families."
Families Feeding Families builds on ConAgra Foods' and Kroger's strong
track records in hunger relief. In 1999, ConAgra created Feeding Children Better, the nation's largest corporate initiative dedicated to fighting child hunger. As part of that effort, ConAgra Foods sponsors the America's Second Harvest Kids Cafe program, one of the nation's largest free meal services for children. ConAgra Foods has funded 195 Kids Cafes across the U.S., providing nutritious food to hungry children in safe and nurturing environments.
Kroger consistently ranks as one of the largest retail contributors of food and grocery products to America's Second Harvest, and the company twice has been named "Retailer of the Year" by the non-profit organization. Since 1999, Kroger has donated more than 104 million pounds of food to the organization. Kroger's retail divisions work with more than 40 regional food banks around the country that are affiliated with America's Second Harvest.