Over $351,605 raised in just one month – enough to provide over 3 million meals
Conshohocken, PA, 2015-8-24— /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA US thanks its customers for their generous contributions to the IKEA in-store program ‘Feeding the Future’, a campaign that supports Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. The campaign which ran June 1–30, 2015 to support local Feeding America food banks raised $351,605,* enough to buy over 3 million meals for children and their families in our local communities.
Each $1 donation from every IKEA healthy kids meal purchased in an IKEA restaurant during the ‘Feeding the Future’ campaign went to the ‘Feeding the Future’ program to support local Feeding America food banks. Additionally, IKEA customers were able to add $1 donations at all IKEA store registers at cash lanes, customer restaurants, IKEA Bistros and Swedish Food markets.
“We are quite pleased our US customers supported our ‘Feeding the Future’ program, in collaboration with Feeding America, and realized the value and importance of supporting our local community’s food banks. IKEA is committed to healthy eating and working along with Feeding America helps to not only support those in need, but gives our customers a opportunity to also get involved with their local food banks,” commented Gerd Diewald, IKEA US Food Manager.
*This number includes $307,634 from customer donations and $43,971 from healthy meals sold.
Feeding America Food Bank Network
The process of getting food to hungry Americans requires a dynamic infrastructure and sophisticated management. Feeding America secures donations from national food and grocery manufacturers, retailers, shippers, packers and growers – and from government agencies and other organizations. Feeding America then moves donated food and grocery product to member food banks.
The food banks in turn distribute food and grocery items through food pantries and meal programs that serve families, children, seniors and others at risk of hunger. Last year alone, the Feeding America network distributed more than 3 billion meals to people in need.
The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks also supports programs that improve food security among the people served; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.
Hunger Facts
- In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 6 people in the United States, hunger is a very real struggle. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.
- Right now, millions of Americans are at risk of hunger. These are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot always make ends meet and may be forced to go without food.
- Research has shown that food insecurity and hunger are serious threats to children’s health, growth and development. The nation’s economic growth depends on the well-being of our children. As such, the existence of childhood hunger in the United States threatens future American prosperity.
- In the United States, more than one out of five children lives in a household with food insecurity, which means they do not always know where they will find their next meal. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2013, 15.8 million children under 18 in the United States live in this condition – unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy life.
Contact: Mona Astra Liss, IKEA US Corporate PR Director. Mona.Liss@IKEA.com
About IKEA
The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. There are currently 315 IKEA Group stores in 27 countries. Additionally, there are 40 IKEA stores run by franchises. There are 40 IKEA stores in the US. In FY 14, IKEA Group had 716 million visitors to the stores and 1.5 billion visitors to IKEA.com. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information, please visit www.IKEA.com, facebook.com/IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA, http://pinterest.com/IKEAUSA/, www.youtube.com/IKEAUSA, www.theshare-space.com, www.theshare-space.com/en/Blog
About Feeding America
Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit ttp://www.feedingamerica.org/. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.