MCLEAN, Va.,, Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY Charitable Foundation has joined
forces with ConAgra Foods® (NYSE: CAG) to develop and launch a
free, innovative project-based learning activity to fight child
hunger in the United States. The
project is open to all U.S. students in grades 7-12, in both formal
and informal settings.
Through Child Hunger Ends Here® learning activities, students
and youth organizations and clubs learn about child hunger, create
a cause marketing plan to activate their communities and submit the
results of their plan in a national competition. Enrolled
participating classrooms, youth organizations and clubs or teams
receive access to the USA TODAY
electronic edition to conduct project research and understand
real-life examples of child hunger across the nation. The students
and youth groups will create a marketing plan to engage
organizations in their community to collect non-perishable food
products and donations to help fight child hunger.
"I'm proud of the collaboration with ConAgra Foods to support
Child Hunger Ends Here as it has the potential of helping thousands
of families who face hunger and food insecurity," said Diane Barrett, president of USA TODAY Charitable Foundation. "This
collaboration has established a project that assists communities
across the country by engaging and equipping students with the
knowledge they need to implement a successful community-based
campaign to fight child hunger."
The classrooms, youth groups and student teams can participate
in a national competition sponsored by USA TODAY Charitable Foundation. Contest
submissions will be entered by classrooms or youth groups, and by
student teams. The student teams' entries will be judged on three
criteria: the average number of meals collected per student in each
class or group, the average number of meals contributed per person
by the community organization targeted by the team's marketing
plan, and a reflective essay. The student team with the highest
cumulative score based on each of the above components will be the
winner. Classrooms and youth groups will be judged based on
the highest average number of meals collected. The classroom or
youth group that contributes the highest average number of meals
will receive a prize provided by ConAgra Foods.
Members of the winning student team and the teacher or
sponsoring adult will each receive an iPad. The winning classroom
or youth group will receive a congratulatory luncheon hosted by
ConAgra Foods' marketing executives. For more details, visit
www.usatodayeducate.com/childhungerendshere.
"The need for food assistance exists in every state, county and
school across the nation," noted Kori
Reed, vice president, Foundation and Cause, ConAgra Foods.
"More than one in five (more than 16 million) children is facing
hunger in America. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture's
annual food security survey, households with children in 2010
reported food insecurity at almost double the rate for those
without children."
"ConAgra Foods is a long-time advocate in the fight against
child hunger," Reed added. "We want to build a community of people
who are as passionate about this issue as we are, and working with
USA TODAY Charitable Foundation to
engage students as champions in the cause of ending child hunger
will help us achieve that goal. "
ConAgra Foods is continuing its Child Hunger Ends Here campaign
by also partnering with Feeding America®, Schools Fight Hunger and
thousands of schools across the country. The program will rally
schools to participate in nationwide food and UPC label drives,
working towards ConAgra Foods' goal of five million meals donated
to children and families facing hunger in America during the
2011-12 school year.
The Child Hunger Ends Here campaign builds on a commitment to
help end child hunger by ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods
Foundation. Since 1993, the two organizations have donated
more than $35 million and 270 million
pounds of food to Feeding America. More information about ConAgra
Foods' Child Hunger Ends Here campaign can be found at
ChildHungerEndsHere.com.
The USA TODAY Charitable
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, supports and builds alliances
that enhance innovative, instructional programs and community
outreach by providing the resources to promote opportunities and
inspire all. It welcomes participation in efforts to engage,
enlighten and inspire today's students and educators by opening
their classrooms to the real world. The Foundation seeks funding
from other foundations, private companies and organizations to help
provide educational programs for elementary, secondary schools,
community colleges and/or programs in specific disciplines or
curriculum areas. The Foundation works with interested parties to
collaborate on the creation of an educational program that meets
the mission and goals for respective companies or
organizations.
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media
company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a
forum for better understanding and unity to help make the
USA truly one nation. Today,
through its newspaper, website and mobile platforms, USA TODAY
connects readers and engages the national conversation.
USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print
circulation with an average of nearly 1.8 million daily, and
USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in
1995, reach a combined 5.4 million readers daily. USA TODAY is
a leader in mobile applications with more than ten million
downloads on mobile devices. The USA TODAY brand also includes
USA TODAY Education and USA
TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc.
(NYSE: GCI).
SOURCE USA TODAY