Eating Pasta to Spread Joy: Barilla Is Giving Back by Bringing Connection to Those Who Need It Most
Barilla and Meals on Wheels America Unite for Connection Kitchen Food Truck to Help End the WaitTM for Seniors Hoping to Receive Nutritious Meals and Meaningful Connection
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Barilla, the world's leading pasta maker, believes in the joy of food for a better life and knows that the most joyful meals aren't enjoyed alone. That's why this holiday season, the pasta company is on a mission to spread joy and combat loneliness through its first signature giving event, the Barilla Connection Kitchen food truck.
This year Barilla America, which is headquartered in Northbrook Illinois, is partnering with Meals on Wheels America to help End the WaitTM for seniors who struggle with hunger and isolation. Across the country, local Meals on Wheels programs serve nutritious meals and meaningful connections to seniors in their communities, but limited funding and volunteers force one in three programs to keep a waitlist. Through the Connection Kitchen program, Barilla is helping bring to life a new plan to End the WaitTM for millions of seniors who need Meals on Wheels. In addition to helping to inspire and recruit volunteers for Meals on Wheels Chicago and programs across the country, Barilla is supporting national efforts to End the Wait by donating $250,000 to Meals on Wheels America.
Launching during the holiday giving season, the Connection Kitchen pop-up food truck will take to the streets of Chicago to serve delectable pasta dishes, spreading warmth and joy, with a suggestion to sign up to volunteer with Meals on Wheels Chicago while enjoying their pasta. The food truck will be stationed at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago on Friday, December 6th from 12pm-3pm CT and at Oakbrook Center on Saturday, December 7th from 11am-5pm CT. All pasta will be served free of charge to the public with the centralized mission to spread awareness of important connections and joy this holiday season.
"At Barilla, we know the most joyful meals are meant to be shared," said Laura Birk, Vice President of Human Resources, Barilla America. "In fact, research we recently conducted in collaboration with the University of Minnesota showed that 60% of individuals acknowledged eating alone more often over the past two years. That said, people who embraced sharing meals with others on a weekly basis experienced notable improvement in their mental well-being. What better way to spread this joy of food than by helping Meals on Wheels Chicago connect people within the local community?"
Barilla's head Chef Lorenzo Boni curated the Connection Kitchen menu to ignite the holiday spirit. At the Connection Kitchen, Chicagoans can choose from the following classic Italian recipes:
- Snowfall Cacio e Pepe, a modern twist on a beloved Italian classic, this recipe uses Barilla's newest holiday pasta shape, Snowfall.
- Creamy Mushroom Farfalle, uses Barilla Farfalle pasta with porcini mushrooms and makes for a cozy recipe. The bow-tie shape is sure to remind fans of holiday bows and gifts!
- Rigatoni Amatriciana, which uses Barilla Rigatoni, this classic Roman dish hopes to transport pasta fans to the streets of Rome with just one bite!
"At Meals on Wheels America, we're thankful for Barilla's partnership helping us End the Wait, which is to ultimately ensure that every senior who needs Meals on Wheels, gets it," said Ellie Hollander, President and Chief Executive Officer at Meals on Wheels America. "As Barilla encourages those in their own backyard to support the local Meals on Wheels Chicago program, we hope this inspires others around the country to do the same by donating to and volunteering with the Meals on Wheels program in their own community."
"This partnership encourages the local Chicago community to get involved and help the Meals on Wheels network End the WaitTM for the thousands of seniors in our community who face hunger and isolation each year," said Cory Morris, Director of Community Impact, Meals on Wheels Chicago. "In Chicago, 8 out of 10 seniors served by Meals on Wheels report that their delivery driver is their primary social contact, on any given day. With Barilla's help, we're raising awareness of this need for more volunteer resources in order to build more of these moments of connection."
Over the years, Barilla has made significant contributions to a variety of nonprofits. Since 2010, the global Barilla Group has donated 50,000 tons of product and over 60 million euros to support communities worldwide. In the US, Barilla also works closely with organizations like the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Feeding America, and Food Bank for New York City – to name just a few – to feed people across the United States. This partnership is yet another step in Barilla's mission of the joy of food for a better life.
To join Barilla and Meals on Wheels America in bringing meaningful connections to those who need it most through the mobile Connection Kitchen truck, visit BarillaConnectionKitchen.com. To learn more about Meals on Wheels volunteer opportunities visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/endthewait.
About Barilla Group:
Barilla is a family business, not listed on the Stock Exchange, chaired by the brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. It was founded by their great-grandfather Pietro Barilla, who opened a bakery in Parma in 1877. Today, Barilla is renowned in Italy and around the world for the quality of its food products. With its brands – Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Gran Cereale, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina, Misko, Voiello, Academia Barilla, First, Catelli, Lancia, Splendor, Back To Nature and Pasta Evangelists – it advocates tasty, hearty and wholesome nutrition, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and the Italian lifestyle.
When Pietro opened his shop over 145 years ago, the main aim was to make good food. That principle has now become the Barilla way of doing business, with almost 9,000 people working for the company and a supply chain that shares its values and passion for quality.
The Group's commitment is to offer people the joy that good, well-made food can bring them, produced with selected ingredients favouring those from responsible supply chains, to contribute to a better present and future.
Since 1987, a historical archive has been collecting and preserving the company's over 145-year history, now a resource open to all via the portal-museum www.archiviostoricobarilla.com. For further information, visit: www.barillagroup.com; Twitter: @barillagroup; LinkedIn: Barilla Group; Instagram: @barillapeople.
About Barilla Group's Corporate Giving:
Over the years, with the aim of supporting local communities, Barilla has supported and participated in numerous initiatives and projects that promote access to food for disadvantaged communities or those affected by natural disasters. At the same time, guided by its purpose "The joy of food for a better life," Barilla has established and strengthened relationships with charities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, working alongside local authorities through partnerships, financial contributions, and product donations.
About Meals on Wheels America:
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
For further information contact:
Media Contacts:
Brook Kovanda Davis
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Kyle Sharick
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SOURCE Barilla America, Inc.
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