PepsiCo And Feed The Children Bring Help And Hope To Detroit Children In Need

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Sep 18, 2013, 11:00 ET

DETROIT, Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Feed The Children and PepsiCo partnered with Vanguard Community Development Corporation to distribute three tractor-trailers full of food and essentials to help 1,200 Detroit area children and families in need. Walmart, Sam's Club and AFPD also joined the local effort. Families received food and essentials at Second Ebenezer Church (14601 Dequindre St.) in Detroit.

PepsiCo is a longtime Feed The Children partner and today donated Frito-Lay snacks, Quaker products and Pepsi beverages to families. Walmart and Sam's Club provided fresh produce as part of the distribution. Feed The Children partner agency Vanguard Community Development Corporation pre-identified families receiving the donations. Each family also received a 25-pound box of food, a 10-pound box of personal care items and AVON products. The boxes are designed to help support a family of four for up to one week.

The distribution is part of Feed The Children's Americans Feeding Americans Caravan, which has helped more than 475,000 families across the country since it began in 2009.

More than half of the children living in Detroit (53.6 percent) are at risk of hunger. In fact, the number of children living in poverty in Michigan (538,649) could fill Ford Field nearly seven times.

"Many of the families we serve on the Americans Feeding Americans Caravan are making hard choices between paying bills and feeding their families," said Kevin Hagan, Feed The Children president and CEO. "With support from PepsiCo we are helping to ease the burden for families struggling in this economy."

Throughout the month of September, Feed The Children is taking action to defeat hunger for the nearly 17 million struggling American children. During Defeat Hunger Month, Feed The Children will provide 76,000 families with emergency food and essentials in 26 cities across 19 states. To learn how Feed The Children is defeating hunger and how to join the cause, visit www.feedthechildren.com/takeaction

About Feed The Children
Founded in 1979, Feed The Children's mission is to provide hope and resources for those without life's essentials. A BBB Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity, Feed The Children is one of the largest charities based in the U.S., providing more than 350,000 children around the world with a hot, nourishing meal every day. Here in the U.S., nearly 10 million people receive assistance each year from food and supplies distributed through over 1,200 local partner agencies. For more information, visit www.feedthechildren.org.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women's Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America