Bank of America Issues 'Score Against Hunger Challenge' to NFL Pro Bowl Players

MIAMI, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- When many of the National Football League's (NFL) stars step onto the gridiron during the 2010 Pro Bowl on Sunday, January 31, they will have the opportunity to combat hunger both nationwide and in South Florida with every touchdown they score. In response to the growing need for emergency food assistance nationwide, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation will donate $10,000 for every touchdown scored during the Pro Bowl to Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization.

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Created by Bank of America, the official bank of the NFL, "Bank of America Scores Against Hunger" also allows NFL fans to get involved and help support Americans at risk of hunger. Fans can log on to www.feedingamerica.org to make their own contributions to help provide food to people across the country. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation will make the $10,000 per touchdown contributions as well as match the total online donations made to Feeding America during the 2010 Pro Bowl, up to a maximum total program contribution of $100,000.

"Bank of America Scores Against Hunger" is the latest in a series of activities that support community needs in South Florida. Earlier this month, the NFL, in partnership with Bank of America, announced the largest community service program in league history. The program, entitled "NFL PLAY 60 Community Blitz," to be held on Thursday, January 28, will involve Pro Bowl players, more than 150 Bank of America community volunteers, a $100,000 donation by Bank of America to NFL PLAY 60 nonprofit community partners, and the assembly of healthy meal packs for children in South Florida by Bank of America associates.

"Forty percent of households served by Feeding America have to choose between paying for food and paying utilities," said Kerry Sullivan, president, Bank of America Charitable Foundation. "Through the NFL PLAY 60 Community Blitz and Bank of America Scores Against Hunger, we are committing hundreds of volunteer hours and more than $200,000 to help address the increasing demand for basic health and human services, especially within key South Florida communities, in these challenging economic times."

A portion of the total funds generated through "Bank of America Scores Against Hunger" will directly benefit Feeding South Florida (previously known as Daily Bread Food Bank), the local Feeding America affiliate, and will provide healthy meals for some of the nation's 49 million citizens, including nearly 17 million children, currently at risk of hunger.

"Bank of America Scores Against Hunger" builds upon the Bank of America Charitable Foundation's longtime support of organizations assisting in hunger relief efforts. Since 2008, Bank of America has provided more than $5 million in grants to nonprofits that addressed hunger and food-insecurity, including a recently announced $1 million donation to Feeding America. In addition, last year nearly 2,000 Bank of America associates donated more than 12,000 hours to food banks and food nutrition related causes.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy

Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, last year Bank of America embarked on a ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.

SOURCE Bank of America