ConAgra Foods Partners with Kroger to Donate $750,000 to America's Second Harvest Food Banks for Fight Against Hunger
'Families Feeding Families' Donation to Assist More Than 40 Food Banks in 15 Cities Across U.S.
CHICAGO --- March 2, 2005 --- America's Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank Network today announced that ConAgra Foods Inc. is partnering with The Kroger Co., to give $750,000 for hunger relief through a new "Families Feeding Families" program.
The gift, among the largest donations by a food manufacturer/retailer 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 chief executive officer 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 COO, 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."
"Kroger is proud to team up with ConAgra Foods and America's Second Harvest to feed the hungry," said Lynn Marmer, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs. "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 on hunger relief. In 1999, ConAgra Foods 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.
About America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank
Network
America's Second Harvest—The Nation's Food Bank Network is
the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a Network of more
than 200 regional Member food banks and food-rescue programs serving all 50
states and Puerto Rico. The Network secures and distributes nearly two
billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The
America's Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 feeding agencies
nationwide, including food pantries, soup kitchens, women's shelters, and Kids
Cafes. These local organizations provide emergency food assistance to 23
million hungry Americans, including more than nine million children and nearly
three million seniors each year. For more information on America's Second
Harvest, visit www.secondharvest.org.
About ConAgra Foods
ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is
one of North America's largest packaged food companies, serving consumer grocery
retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular
ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: ACT II, Armour, Banquet, Blue Bonnet,
Brown 'N Serve, Butterball, Chef Boyardee, Cook's, Crunch 'n Munch, DAVID,
Decker, Eckrich, Egg Beaters, Fleischmann's, Gulden's, Healthy Choice, Hebrew
National, Hunt's, Kid Cuisine, Knott's Berry Farm, La Choy, Lamb Weston,
Libby's, Lightlife, Louis Kemp, Lunch Makers, MaMa Rosa's, Manwich, Marie
Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Parkay, Pemmican, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip,
Rosarita, Ro*Tel, Slim Jim, Snack Pack, Swiss Miss, Van Camp's, Wesson,
Wolf and many others. For more information, visit www.conagrafoods.com.
About The Kroger Co.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Kroger
is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the third
quarter of fiscal 2004, the Company operated (either directly or through its
subsidiaries) 2,531 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under
two dozen banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King
Soopers, Smith's, Fry's, Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger
also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or
operating agreements) 792 convenience stores, 439 fine jewelry stores, 520
supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more
information about Kroger, please visit our Web site at www.kroger.com.
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Ross Fraser – America's Second Harvest
Office: 312-263-2303 (127)
Cell:
312-307-8470
rfraser@secondharvest.org
Julie DeYoung – ConAgra Foods
Office: 630-857-1513
julie.deyoung@conagrafoods.com
Gary Rhodes – Kroger
Office: 513-762-1304
gary.rhodes@kroger.com
