WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Feed The Children, PepsiCo and Walmart partnered with Central Union Mission to distribute two tractor-trailers full of food and essentials to help 800 Washington, D.C. area children and families in need. Families received food and essentials on I Street between 17th and 18th Streets NE in Washington, D.C.
PepsiCo is a longtime Feed The Children partner and today donated Frito-Lay brand snacks, Quaker brand products and Pepsi brand beverages to families as part of the event. Walmart, with the assistance of its suppliers, provided a loaf of bread and a five pound bag of apples and oranges to each of the 800 families. Feed The Children partner agency Central Union Mission 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 445,000 families across the country since it began in 2009.
Nearly one in three children living in Washington, D.C. (30.4 percent) is considered impoverished. In fact, the number of children living in poverty in Washington, D.C. (30,555) could fill the Verizon Center one and a half 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 and Walmart we are helping to ease the burden for families struggling in this economy."
Feed The Children will also be providing families with information and resources to give them the opportunity to receive additional nutritional support in their local community through USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program.
"Organizations like Feed the Children are critical partners to USDA when it comes to preventing hunger and ensuring our children get the nutrition assistance they need and deserve," said Administrator Audrey Rowe. "I applaud their work to help food insecure families right here in Washington D.C. and look forward to continuing our work together."
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.
SOURCE Frito-Lay North America