OMAHA, Neb., March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ConAgra Foods®
(NYSE: CAG) and Feeding America®, the nation's leading domestic
hunger-relief organization, will premiere "Child Hunger Ends Here:
A Special Report" on select NBC stations across the nation on
March 19. The 30-minute special,
hosted by Al Roker with Natalie Morales, gives viewers a better
understanding about the negative effects of hunger on children and
how they can help end child hunger.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release,
please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/conagra/48986/
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110316/MM64103 )
"One in four children is facing hunger in America. For families
that include our neighbors and friends, hunger is a battle that is
being lost at the kitchen table," said Al
Roker, host of "Child Hunger Ends Here: A Special
Report."
The television special visits families across the country
showing viewers the new face of hunger in the United States. According to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 17.2 million children in America are at
risk of hunger. Of the 37 million Americans served annually by
Feeding America member food banks, nearly 14 million are children
under the age of 18.
"The statistics of child hunger in the
United States are staggering, but the issue is made so much
more real when you hear the personal stories of families struggling
to make ends meet and to feed their families nutritious meals each
day," said Gary Rodkin, CEO of
ConAgra Foods. "I hope this special will help consumers better
understand the negative effects of child hunger and how they can
help."
The special premieres on Saturday, March
19, on NBC stations in 11 markets including: Chicago, Dallas, Hartford, Los
Angeles, Miami,
New York, Omaha, Philadelphia, San
Diego, San Francisco and
Washington, D.C. The program will
also be syndicated in up to 200 additional markets.
Viewers can learn more about hunger by participating in an
online event by following #ChildHungerEndsHere on Twitter during
the broadcast from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
ET on March 19. Participants
can ask questions, interact with members of the ConAgra Foods and
Feeding America teams, and participate in trivia contests.
The special kicks off ConAgra Foods' annual Child Hunger Ends
Here campaign. From March through May
2011, ConAgra Foods will embark on its largest branded
initiative to fight child hunger in the
United States. Consumers can purchase select ConAgra Foods
brands and, when they enter their code online, the company will
donate one meal to Feeding America – up to 2.5 million meals during
this time period.* This is in addition to ConAgra Foods' donations
that help provide more than 1 million meals per month each
year.
Visit www.ChildHungerEndsHere.com and enter the eight-digit
purchase code found on specially marked packages. Participating
brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Fresh
Mixers, Kid Cuisine, Marie
Callender's and Peter Pan. Every code entered is another
meal that ConAgra Foods will enable Feeding America to secure
through local food banks. Codes on specially marked packages can be
redeemed through August 2011.
In addition, consumers can make a financial contribution to
Feeding America through a mobile giving campaign. Simply text
"FEEDKIDS" to 50555 to make a $10
donation directly to Feeding America. Each $10 donation helps provide 70 meals to children
in need.
The campaign builds on a commitment by ConAgra Foods and the
ConAgra Foods Foundation to end child hunger, which has resulted in
donations of more than 250 million pounds of food to Feeding
America since 1993. ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation
have also donated $35 million to
Feeding America, including a recent five-year, $10 million pledge from the ConAgra Foods
Foundation, the largest donation ever made to Feeding America
specifically to fight child hunger.
"ConAgra Foods has been a tremendous partner and leader in the
fight against childhood hunger for since 1993," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding
America. "We aren't able to do our work without committed,
long-term partners."
* When consumers activate their purchase online at
www.childhungerendshere.com and enter an eight digit
code, a monetary donation will be made enabling one meal to be
secured by Feeding America on behalf of local food banks, up to a
maximum of 2.5 million meals for codes entered through 8/31/11.
Valid in US only. $1 donated = 7
meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local food
banks.
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Media Contacts:
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Dina Martinez
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1080 Communications
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(202) 302-5386
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Dina@1080communications.com
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Amy Morgan
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Public Relations
Manager
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ConAgra Foods
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630-857-1120
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amy.morgan@conagrafoods.com
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SOURCE ConAgra Foods