AZ RBI and Feed the Children Hold Annual Event to Help Fight Hunger

PHOENIX, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AZ RBI, part of Major League Baseball's RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program, and Feed the Children will help fight hunger and make a difference in the lives of Phoenix inner-city families at a summer food distribution event. Today, players and coaches from AZ RBI and Feed the Children staff will gather with corporate partners from Coca-Cola, Albertson's, CBS Radio's KMLE and Lamar to give 400 pre-identified families boxes of food and essentials from 5 – 7 p.m. at 475 E. Lincoln in Phoenix, located one block south of Chase Stadium.

One in four Arizona children lives in poverty – and these partners know the issue of hunger can't be tackled alone. At the event, each family will receive a 25-pound box of food and a 10-pound box of essentials from Feed the Children. Also, Coca-Cola will bring juice, water, sports activities and hot dogs, and Albertson's will donate 400 fresh vegetable packages. Local community partners, including Roosevelt Early Childhood, Salvation Army, WIC Outreach, SNAP Outreach, Marco Deniza, University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and others, will be on-site to offer long-term support by providing resources for Phoenix-area programs and services, such as WIC, SNAP, low housing options, and summer programs for families.

"The numbers of children experiencing hunger in Arizona continue to rise, and I salute the annual efforts of AZ RBI, Feed the Children and other partners to create change and heighten awareness of this local issue," said Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon.

Hunger's roots go deep, and children are affected every day in every state in the United States. Many children are unsure of where they will find their next meal, especially in the summer months when school programs are closed. Over half of Arizona students receive free or reduced lunches during the school year. That means over half of Arizona's children are at risk of going hungry during the summer months.

"This annual event provides an opportunity for AZ RBI's baseball players to take charge and make things better in their own communities," said Matt Panos, Feed the Children's chief development officer. "When I see the happiness and pride on the faces of these determined, young volunteers, I know we are truly making a difference in the lives of others."

"We are pleased to be a partner in this community outreach effort to help local families in need and support the outstanding youth of today," said Brandon Buchanan, president of the Coca-Cola African American Business Resource Group and Coca-Cola district sales manager. "No child should ever have to go to bed hungry."

About Feed the Children
Feed the Children is one of the world's leading anti-hunger organizations, dedicated to creating a world where no child goes to bed hungry. Since 1979, Feed the Children has grown into one of the largest United States-based charities, accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, with a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator. By banding together with partners, donors, and communities to defeat hunger, Feed the Children distributed over $344 million in food, essentials, educational supplies, and medicine to over 10 million individuals in the United States and 18 other countries in fiscal year 2013. Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About AZ RBI
AZ RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) organization is a youth outreach program designed to:

• Increase participation and interest in baseball and softball among inner-city underserved youth
• Encourage academic participation and achievement
• Increase the number of talented athletes prepared to play in college and minor leagues
• Promote greater inclusion of minorities into the mainstream of the game
• Teach the value of teamwork

RBI has been embraced in all MLB communities because it teaches kids that being a success in life takes more than succeeding on the ball field - it also means succeeding in the classroom and the community.

The national RBI program is administered by Major League Baseball and is designed to give young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball, encourage academic achievement and success, and teach the value of teamwork and other important life lessons.  RBI currently serves more than 220,000 young men and women in over 300 programs established in approximately 200 cities worldwide, and has served more than one million young people since its inception in 1989. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $30 million worth of resources to the RBI program, and all 30 Clubs support RBI leagues. For more information about the RBI program, please visit MLB.com/rbi.

SOURCE Feed the Children

Related Links

http://www.feedthechildren.org

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