Kraft Foods Presents $20,000 to Harvest Hope to Expand Backpack Child Feeding Program
July 6, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Today Harvest Hope Food Bank received a generous $20,000 donation from Kraft Foods to expand their Children’s Feeding Programs. Kraft Foods Interim Plant Manager Paul Wright and Human Resources Manager Dave Bogan presented the donation this morning at Harvest Hope’s facility at 2220 Shop Road.
The donation will expand Harvest Hope’s BackPack Children’s Feeding Program, and add 74 children to ensure they receive backpacks, each with seven meals to last through the weekend, every week during the entire upcoming school year.
“Harvest Hope sees the benefits of our BackPack Program for children in schools throughout South Carolina, and teachers, principals and guidance counselors report increased attendance, better grades and improved behavior from children on the program,” said Harvest Hope CEO Denise Holland. “Kraft has been a partner in our hunger relief mission for many years, and the funds from this Kraft Feeding Possibilities Program will make sure more children have a better foundation to learn and grow.”
Harvest Hope’s BackPack program ensures that children have a stable supply of nourishment to last through the weekend when they are out of school. Backpacks containing seven meals are distributed to children in participating schools, and the meals are comprised of nutritious items such as fruit cups, nutrition bars, juice boxes, reduced fat milk and other sources of protein that children can open and prepare on their own. Guidance counselors and teachers at schools participating in the BackPack Program report that students who received backpacks through the program showed improvement in attendance, behavior and grades, and exhibit an overall improvement in motivation and attitude about school
At the Kraft Foods Group Foundation, we believe everyone deserves good food and beverages. And, we are uniquely positioned to help make this belief a reality for communities across North America. We have the expertise and power of our people, our products, and our strategic partnerships to foster innovative and sustainable solutions in the fight against hunger. This is our way of earning a place in our communities…and it’s a privilege to do so.
The Kraft Foods Group Foundation established the Kraft Feeding Possibilities Program to help local food banks address specific needs in their communities. Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, distributes grants from the Kraft Foods Group Foundation to approximately 10-20 food banks across the U.S. near Kraft facilities for capacity building, and feeding programs for children and seniors. Investment in these special programs enables food banks within the Feeding America network to meet the needs of their growing client base more efficiently. Since its inception, more than 9.7 million meals have been served through the Kraft Feeding Possibilities Program.
