Edible Schoolyard New Orleans Receives $5,000 Birds Eye Grant to Help Local Communities Discover the Wonder of Vegetables

MOUNTAIN LAKES, N.J., Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Announced today, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans will receive a $5,000 Birds Eye® "Share the Wonder" grant to change the way New Orleans public school children eat, learn and live through a comprehensive, hands-on food education program that integrates gardening and cooking into the curriculum, culture and cafeteria food programs.  Pinnacle Foods' Birds Eye® brand kicked off the first-ever "Share the Wonder" grant program to provide financial rewards to nonprofit organizations that inspire communities and their children to discover the wonder of vegetables.

"On behalf of Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, we are so honored to have been awarded $5,000 from Birds Eye," said Donna Cavato, Executive Director of Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. "With this Birds Eye grant, we will continue to nourish the minds of New Orleans children, through hands-on gardening and cooking classes, which educate and engage 2,400 FirstLine Schools students in growing, cooking and sharing the wonder of vegetables."

Edible Schoolyard New Orleans was nominated for a "Share the Wonder" grant at www.facebook.com/BirdsEyeVegetables and was chosen as a finalist because of originality, the quality of the organization's vegetable-focused efforts, and its passion for vegetables. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans then rallied its own fans and followers to vote based on a video about its cause.

"At Birds Eye, we believe that everyone has the right to enjoy vegetables any time, any place, and we celebrate the organizations that make vegetables more enjoyable and accessible for their local communities and children," said Rodrigo Troni, vice president of marketing for Birds Eye. "We had an overwhelming response to the 'Share the Wonder' grant program. That's why we're thrilled to give Edible Schoolyard New Orleans this grant as one of nearly 100 organizations that applied to support its efforts to share the wonder of vegetables in its local community and to help Feed Kids Better."

Vegetables Anytime, Anywhere

Birds Eye helps people "Discover the Wonder of Vegetables™" by making them easy, delicious and accessible for everyone. With more than 40 unique vegetables offered and countless ways to enjoy them, from pure and simple vegetables and steamed varieties, to veggie powered recipes and complete vegetable rich meals, Birds Eye gives consumers limitless possibilities to get vegetables on their plates every day.

Visit www.facebook.com/birdseyevegetables for serving ideas, tips and tools to help make vegetables the star of the plate.

About Birds Eye

Birds Eye® unlocks the wonder of vegetables and makes them accessible and enjoyable to everyone, everyday. Using vegetables picked and frozen at their peak of freshness, Birds Eye® helps Americans make vegetables a meaningful part of everyday life. Providing a range of tasty and exciting solutions that make eating vegetables a memorable taste experience, Birds Eye® has something for everyone: with pure and simple vegetables under the Birds Eye®, C&W®, Freshlike® and McKenzie's® brand names; Birds Eye Steamfresh® vegetables and vegetable rich blends; and Birds Eye Voila!® complete frozen meals. For more information on Birds Eye® visit www.birdseye.com or www.facebook.com/BirdsEyeVegetables.

About Pinnacle Foods Group LLC

Millions of times a day in more than 85% of American households, consumers reach for Pinnacle Foods brands. We are a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, which have been trusted household names for decades. Headquartered in Mountain Lakes, NJ, our business employs more than 4,500 people in North America. We are a leader in the shelf stable and frozen foods segments and our brands hold the #1 or #2 market position in 8 out of 12 major category segments in which they compete. Our Duncan Hines Grocery Division manages brands such as Duncan Hines® baking mixes and frostings, Vlasic® pickles, peppers, and relish, Mrs. Butterworth's® and Log Cabin® syrups, Armour® canned meats, Nalley® and Brooks® chili and chili ingredients, and Open Pit® barbecue sauces. Our Birds Eye Frozen Division manages brands such as Birds Eye® vegetables, Birds Eye Steamfresh®, C&W®, McKenzie's® and Freshlike® vegetables, Birds Eye Voila!® meals, Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfasts, Swanson® and Hungry-Man® dinners and entrees, Van de Kamp's® and Mrs. Paul's® seafood, Lender's® bagels and Celeste® frozen pizza. Our Specialty Food group manages Tim's Cascade Snacks®, Hawaiian™ Kettle Style Potato Chips Snyder of Berlin® and Husman's® in addition to our food service and private label businesses. Further information is available at www.pinnaclefoods.com.

About Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

Founded in 2006, Edible Schoolyard NOLA changes the way children eat, learn and live at FirstLine Schools in New Orleans.  Our hands-on food education program integrates gardening and cooking into the curriculum, culture and cafeteria menus of five (5) open-admissions, public charter schools.  Our goal is to improve the long-term well being of our students, families, and school community, and we currently serve about 2,400 pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade students. Through Exposure, Engagement and Access, ESY NOLA reinforces seasonal cooking and local growing and investment through special events and community outreach programs including: Family Food Nights (parents join their children in the Teaching Kitchen to cook heart-healthy recipes); Budding Entrepreneurs/Growing Leaders (5th-8th graders sell their produce, garden-based crafts, and value-added products at local farmers markets); and Open Garden Days (community comes to the school garden to work, harvest and share meals created with produce grown by the children).  For more information, please visit www.esynola.org. You can also "Like" us at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Edible-Schoolyard-New-Orleans/350852752794 and follow us on Twitter @esynola.

SOURCE Pinnacle Foods Group LLC