America's Second Harvest Announces 2003 Hunger's Hope Award Winners

PepsiCo Recognized as Donor of the Year

Los Angeles, CA -- At its annual conference today, America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization, announced the winners of this year's Hunger's Hope Awards. The Donor of the Year Award was presented to PepsiCo.

Recognized for distinguished service to its service areas was America's Second Harvest affiliate: The Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. This year's award winners contributed to providing almost 2 billion pounds of emergency food assistance to more than 23 million hungry Americans.

The Excellence Awards were created to honor the most outstanding donor organizations, food banks and food rescue organizations in our network. These two recipients have risen above their everyday purpose of feeding hungry people; their efforts to improve their communities exemplify the best practices of our network.

Donor of the Year - PepsiCo

The Donor of the Year Award is presented each year to a corporate partner that makes an extraordinary donation of time, money and/or food to the network of more than 200 food banks and food-rescue organizations that make up America's Second Harvest.

The PepsiCo Companies, which include Frito Lay, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Food & Beverage, and Tropicana, have been long time supporters of America's Second Harvest's mission of creating a hunger free America. In 2003 total donations from these companies exceeded an astounding 26 million pounds. Pepsi-Cola donations grew a phenomenal 180%, and Quaker Foods and Beverages increased donations by 21%.

Tropicana was one of the first companies to embrace our new online donation system, DonorExpress, and serves as an advocate for other companies to take part in donating online. Additionally, both Quaker Foods and Beverages and Tropicana have been supporters of our disaster relief efforts by donating product and transportation during times of need.

Quaker Foods and Beverages and PepsiCo were also instrumental in one of our national Hunger Awareness Day programs. Each donated $10,000 through an online promotion, Free Lunch For Kids. The money went directly to feed needy children, and the promotion helped raise awareness about the problem of child hunger. In all, more than 10,000 new email addresses were collected, nearly doubling our email subscriber list.

Affiliate of the Year - Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

Of more than 200 affiliated food banks and food rescue organizations, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee located in Nashville, was recognized as "Affiliate of the Year." The Food Bank distributed more than 10 million pounds of product to a 34 county service area. In the past year alone, they increased their distribution by 24%. This was made possible in part by their recent move.

After a successful capital campaign, the food bank took ownership of their new state of the art facility, which has allowed them to accept and distribute more food in a more efficient manner.

The food bank has always been one to accept challenges. When several sources of food donations began to decline, the food bank made a bold decision to begin their own production. Through their unique program, Project Preserve they can, label and distribute product to their local agencies, as well as to over 100 affiliates in 34 states. This is a 54% increase over last year's distribution.

Most recently they started their Cook-Chill operation, which is the only full-scale in-house food production operation in the network. These two programs are just a few of the innovative ideas that have emerged from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

The food bank has also been a great network partner, generously sharing opportunities. It was the food bank that introduced country superstar Shania Twain to the network and their contacts were also responsible for the Mama's Hungry Eyes CD. CEO, Jaynee Day and her team have worked countless hours to make the food bank the organization it is today, a strong hunger relief partner, meeting the needs in their community, as well as the entire America's Second Harvest network. Congratulations on a wonderful year!

2003 Hunger's Hope Award Winners

Dairy Donor of the Year
Dannon Company

Household Goods Donor of the Year
S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

Health and Beauty Products Donor of the Year
The Procter & Gamble Company

Foodservice Donor of the Year
SYSCO

Complete Meals Donor of the Year
Kraft Pizza

Protein Donor of the Year
ConAgra Refrigerated / Prepared

Special Recognition - Seafood Industry
American Seafoods Group

Regional Retailer of the Year
H.E. Butt Grocery Company

Retailer of the Year
Albertsons Inc.

Sponsor of the Year
Macy’s West

Philanthropist Award
Adelma Taylor LoPrest

Grantmaker of the Year
Cargill

Model Program Awards:

Public Awareness/Awareness Campaign
Food Bank For New York City

Board Development
Harvesters Community Food Network

Fundraising
St. Mary’s Food Bank

Technology
North Texas Food Bank

Training or Self-Sufficiency Program
Vermont Food Bank

Volunteer Programs
San Francisco Food Bank

National Hunger Awareness Day Participation
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

Food Resource Development
Capital Area Food Bank of Texas

Service to Children
Foodlink

Community Relations/Coalition Building
Capital Area Food Bank of Texas

Agency Relations Development/Support
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Warehouse Inventory
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest

Individual Volunteer of the Year
Wade McGuinn

Group Volunteer of the Year
Church of Latter Day Saints, Tucson, AZ

National Conference

America's Second Harvest's National Conference continues through September 6, and is being held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, 1755 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028.

The annual anti-hunger conference brings together people representing every state in the country including anti-hunger leaders, policymakers, and industry representatives. America's Second Harvest and its network of affiliated organizations provide emergency food aid to 23.3 million Americans and distribute almost two billion pounds of food and grocery products each year.