Chicago Families in Need to Receive 32,000 Pounds of Food and Essentials Today from PepsiCo and Feed the Children

CHICAGO, Sept. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight hundred Chicago families in need will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo and Feed the Children. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at St. Sabina Church, 1210 W. 78th Place, Chicago.

Today's distribution event is part of Feed the Children's Defeat Hunger Month, a national initiative to raise awareness and funds for this important cause. It's the fifth annual event PepsiCo and Feed the Children have hosted in the Chicago community, where nearly 25 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Similar events will occur in other major U.S. cities throughout the remainder of the year.

"Together we can be our neighbors' helpers by providing food and essentials to those in need," said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children president and CEO. "With PepsiCo and St. Sabina's partnership, we can aid families in our nation's own backyard."

The receiving families have been identified and preselected by St. Sabina's church.

Each qualifying recipient will be given:

• One 25-pound box of nonperishable food items
• One 15-pound box of personal-care items
• One box of AVON products
• Books from Disney Publishing Worldwide
• Barilla pasta
• One 20-count Frito-Lay Baked & Popped Mix snacks
• PepsiCo beverages
• Life Original Cereal
• Quaker Standard Oatmeal
• Chewy Granola Bars
• Fresh produce and nonperishable food items provided by Jewel Osco

"We love the Chicago community and are proud to be able to partner with Feed the Children to fight hunger in the city where we live and work," said Ashley Kelly, senior sales zone supervisor, Heartland Chicago central zone, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are committed to giving back to our friends and neighbors, and providing enough food to supplement meals for a week while families begin the new school year is a small way we can help make a difference." 

About Feed the Children

Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to end child hunger.  It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster relief. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania).

In fiscal year 2015, Feed the Children distributed 107 million pounds of food and essentials valued at $302 million to people in the U.S., and internationally, it sponsored nearly 24,500 children, addressing the root causes of poverty through child sponsorship and school sponsorship. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance as well as maintains a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/.

SOURCE PepsiCo

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