No Kid Hungry Campaign Work Expanding Across the Country

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign is proud to announce six new organizations joining in the work of the campaign by becoming part of the No Kid Hungry Allies program.

No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. The No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in America. The Allies program is part of the national No Kid Hungry campaign, which helps connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters.

Organizations selected to be part of the No Kid Hungry Allies program receive a $20,000 grant to support their efforts to increase participation in federal food and nutrition programs including the School Breakfast Program and Summer Meals Programs, and to help them build coalitions for ending childhood hunger in their communities.

"All across the country, organizations are working to end childhood hunger," said Tom Nelson, President of Share Our Strength. "More and more of them are realizing that this problem is about a lack of access to existing nutrition programs and working to close the gap. It is organizations like these that we are proud to have join the No Kid Hungry campaign and look forward to helping achieve success and ensure no child is at risk of hunger." 

Federal food and nutrition programs such as the School Breakfast Program and Summer Meals Programs provide kids with access to healthy foods. For many reasons, these programs are not always easy for children to take part in. For example, of the number of low-income students who eat school lunch (21 million), only about half eat a school breakfast (less than 11 million).

In addition to the grant, these organizations will have access to the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices and other resources that are proven to help end childhood hunger and support from the No Kid Hungry campaign including consulting, educational and networking opportunities.

The No Kid Hungry Allies program is funded by Share Our Strength, with support from the Arby's Foundation and C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc.

Welcome the No Hungry Allies Class of 2013:

• Idaho- Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force
• Indiana- Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
• Minnesota- Second Harvest Heartland
• New Jersey- New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition
• Vermont- Hunger Free Vermont
• Wisconsin- Hunger Task Force, Inc.

The Returning No Kid Hungry Allies Class of 2012:

• Alabama - Bay Area Food Bank
• Maine - Preble Street
• Massachusetts - Project Bread
• Missouri - Operation Food Search
• Nevada - Three Square
• Nebraska - Hunger Free Heartland
• New Hampshire - Children's Alliance of New Hampshire
• Ohio - Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Banks
• Ohio - Promedica
• Oregon - Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon
• Pennsylvania - Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
• South Carolina - The Lowcountry Food Bank

For more information on the No Kid Hungry allies program or to speak to one of our experts about ending childhood hunger, contact Kelli Windsor at [email protected] or 202-478-6553.

About SHARE OUR STRENGTH'S NO KID HUNGRY CAMPAIGN
No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry^® campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters.  This work is accomplished through the No Kid Hungry network, made up of private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Contact: Kelli Windsor | [email protected] | 202-478-6553

SOURCE Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign