California First Lady Sharon Davis, Council Members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, and Actor Jeff Bridges Call Attention to
Childhood Hunger Crisis
Vons Shoppers Encouraged To "Round Up" To Help Feed Southern California and Southern Nevada's Hungry Children
The fundraising campaign, which kicks off in all Vons and Pavilions stores beginning November 19, 2000 and continues to the end of
the year, asks customers to help reduce hunger by rounding up their grocery bill to the next dollar. In Los Angeles County alone,
there are 560,000 children who lack access to nutritious food or whose families have difficulty providing food for their children.
For every $1,000 raised, more than 10,000 children will be able to eat a nutritious meal.
Customer donations will support Hunger Free America, which raises awareness about the health and education implications of childhood
hunger in the U.S. and mobilizes involvement through education, fundraising events and coalition building. Proceeds will also
benefit local food banks to provide meals to children in southern California and southern Nevada.
"Both Governor Davis and I are committed to the well-being of our children and are asking state leaders and city mayors across the
nation to join in the effort to end childhood hunger in America," said Sharon Davis. "With community support, we can expand
successful federal-state partnerships such as the school lunch programs and school breakfast programs. This would provide an
additional 10 million children with the nutrition they need to grow and learn."
Today in the United States, 31 million people - including 12 million children - are hungry or nutritionally deprived. Research
suggests that under-nutrition during a child's developing years may result in:
- Retarded physical growth, including brain development and cognitive functioning
- Long-term emotional, medical and mental health problems
- Lackluster performance in school, need for Special Education classes
"Vons and Pavilions employees are committed to working with our customers to improve the lives of children and families in our
communities," said Tom Keller, President of Vons, A Safeway Company. " This year's campaign will fund both the efforts of Hunger
Free America and local food banks throughout southern California and southern Nevada."
"There is no doubt that ending childhood hunger will strengthen America," says Jeff Bridges, who has dedicated 20 years to the
hunger issue through his organization the End Hunger Network and is currently Hunger Free America chair. "I want to thank First
Lady Sharon Davis, Councilmembers Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, and Vons and Unilever Bestfoods for helping Hunger Free America
take on the challenge of ending childhood hunger in the United States."
Los Angeles City Council Member Jan Perry commended the efforts of Vons and said that the Round Up program "will help address the
nutritional needs of many children right here in Los Angeles." Los Angeles Council Member Garcetti added, "We can work to mobilize
the City of Los Angeles infrastructure to see that no family - no child - ever goes hungry."
Vons is a division of Safeway Inc. operating 326 stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners in California and Nevada. Vons
employees have a continuing track record in their collective fund raising efforts, contributing millions of dollars to schools,
non-profit organizations and food banks each year.
Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer products companies. Unilever Bestfoods, the Hunger Free America Founding Sponsor,
known for such brands as Ragu, Wish-Bone, Bestfoods and Lipton, has committed $3 million in support of Hunger Free America.
Hunger Free America, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), wants to make ending childhood hunger a national
priority, focusing on school meal programs within the public school system, and raising necessary funds to feed at-risk families.
Hunger Free America is co-founded by Jeff Bridges and the End Hunger Network, Center on Hunger and Poverty and EIF. Unilever
Bestfoods is a founding sponsor of Hunger Free America.
Hunger Free America, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), is co-founded by End Hunger
Network, Center on Hunger and Poverty and EIF. Unilever Bestfoods is the founding sponsor of Hunger Free America.
