Academy and Emmy Award-winning actress Viola Davis, the Albertsons Companies Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) have come together again to continue the Hunger Is “Hungry for More” campaign, which is designed to raise awareness and funds to fight childhood hunger in America.
Through the generosity of Albertsons Companies customers, last year Hunger Is provided five million breakfasts to children in need, a number which the campaign will strive to match this year.
The Hunger Is “Hungry for More” campaign will run through October 15th in more than 2,300 Albertsons Companies grocery stores throughout the country, giving shoppers at Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, ACME, and others the opportunity to contribute toward hunger relief efforts in their communities. The print, broadcast, digital and out-of-home PSA campaign, in which Viola Davis addresses the importance of eradicating childhood hunger in the U.S., will continue to run in the marketplace through the summer and fall.
“I am beyond thrilled to see how our communities joined together last year to support the eradication of childhood hunger in America,” said Hunger Is Ambassador Viola Davis. “The Hunger Is ‘Hungry for More’ campaign is essential for educating the public on just how severe the issue of childhood hunger is – in every community – throughout the country. A child who has eaten breakfast is able to learn more, live healthier and achieve greater success in life. It’s an honor to continue to stand with the Albertsons Companies Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to help put an end to this significant problem.”
Over the last three years, Hunger Is has raised more than $18 million and awarded over 270 grants to support local hunger programs in 33 states plus the District of Columbia. More than 6.4 million breakfasts have been served to families in need, and the grants have touched the lives of more than 200,000 children across the country. The funds raised have helped local and regional institutions provide breakfast, even when schools are closed, and teach families how to cost–effectively shop and cook healthy food on limited budgets.
Beneficiaries of Hunger Is grants include both small and large organizations. Brilliant Beginnings Summer Breakfast Program in San Luis Obispo County, California, for example, targets low-income, food-insecure families to provide breakfast items during summer months when children are not in school and do not have access to breakfast. Another example is the Houston Food Bank, which was able to provide over 298,000 additional take-home, weekend breakfasts to students from low-income families. These supplementary meals, delivered in backpacks, ensure that students are able to return to school on Monday, well-fed and ready to focus on learning. A third-grade student told his teacher, “I’m so grateful for the backpack buddy program. My two siblings participate in the program and we have food to eat all weekend.” Through programs like these, Hunger Is directly effects change in local communities. For more beneficiary stories, please visit the Hunger Is website.
“We’re proud that, over the last three years, our customers and employees have answered our call for help and not only supported Hunger Is, but helped kids start the day with a healthy breakfast and “Hunger for More” fun and knowledge, not hungry for food," said Albertsons Companies Foundation Executive Director Christy Duncan Anderson. “The Albertsons Companies Foundation and our family of stores coast to coast are looking to form closer partnerships this year with grant recipients as we move ever closer to eradicating hunger in America through Hunger Is.”
Hunger Is grant recipients are selected with the help of the Hunger Is Advisory Committee (HIAC), comprised of leaders from the most respected hunger advocacy organizations in the U.S. including Drexel University’s Center for Hunger-Free Communities, Feeding America, Food Research & Action Center, Hunger Free America, Share Our Strength, and WhyHunger. The HIAC provides guidance in defining and addressing needs and makes funding recommendations for approval by the Albertsons Companies Foundation and EIF Board of Directors.
“We are honored to continue this critical initiative with the Albertsons Companies Foundation and our incredible Hunger Is ambassador Viola Davis,” said Lisa Paulsen, EIF. “It is our hope that by encouraging every community to come together to support this cause, childhood hunger will no longer be an issue children in America face.”
For more information about the issue and ways to get involved in the fight against hunger, visit HungerIs.org.
