Food Network Stars Fight Childhood Hunger

Food Network Press Release:

Food Network Stars Join Whole Foods Market, Share Our Strength, Congressional Hunger Caucus to Raise Awareness of Childhood Hunger in America.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 6, 2011 – Judges from Food Network’s Chopped, and representatives of Whole Foods Market and Share Our Strength today appeared on Capitol Hill with members of the Congressional Hunger Caucus to announce a food drive for Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia and to help raise awareness of childhood hunger in America. Through this food drive, Food Network will deliver 90,000 meals in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas and 45,000 more in the Philadelphia area by Christmas. Food Network and Whole Foods Market are partners in Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America.

Following today’s announcement, chefs Marc Murphy and Amanda Freitag, judges on Food Network’s “Chopped,” visited a local Whole Foods Market store at 1440 P St. NW, Washington, D.C. to purchase nutritious pantry items and fresh foods to be donated to the Capital Area Food Bank.

A Food Network truck will be stopping at local Washington, D.C. area Whole Foods Market stores to collect customer donations throughout the holiday season. See below for the Food Network truck’s collection schedule at Whole Foods Market locations in the D.C. area:

·         Tuesday, December 6: 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. at 1440 P St. NW, Washington, D.C., with Chefs Marc Murphy and Amanda Freitag appearing from approximately 12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.;
·         Wednesday, December 7: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 2700 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA;
·         Thursday, December 8: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 4530 40th St. NW, Washington, D.C.;
·         Tuesday, December 13: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 4530 40th St. NW, Washington, D.C.;
·         Wednesday, December 14: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 1440 P St. NW, Washington, D.C.; and
·         Thursday, December 15: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at 833 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring, MD.

Participants from today’s press conference and partner groups had the following to say about the effort to raise awareness and feed hungry children in America:

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Co-chair, Senate Hunger Caucus:
“Living in America – a country that produces so much of the world’s food supply – it can be difficult to comprehend the reality of hunger in our own communities and around the world. Yet, hunger is very real. More than 16 million American children live in food insecure households and struggle with hunger. I encourage everyone, especially during this holiday season, to look for ways you can help those in need and work to end hunger in America.”

Bill Shore, Founder and CEO, Share Our Strength:
“Share Our Strength believes in the power of public and private partnerships to end childhood hunger in the United States. We are proud to work with dedicated partners like Whole Foods, Capital Area Food Bank and Food Network in this fight to make sure kids in this country get the healthy food they need.”

Chef Marc Murphy, judge on Food Network’s  “Chopped:”
“For children to lead healthy and active lives, they need not just enough food, but also nutritious food and fresh fruits and vegetables that are often sparse in food pantry donations. To help win the fight against childhood hunger and educate families about proper nutrition, Food Network is integrating the Share Our Strength initiatives into our programming throughout the holiday season.”