ST. LOUIS, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle S.A., the parent company of Nestle Purina PetCare Company, today announced it will donate approximately $280,000 (CHF 300,000) to Meds & Food for Kids, a St. Louis-based non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of Haiti's malnourished children.

Meds & Food for Kids produces and distributes highly nutritious foods in Haiti, including "Medika Mamba," a fortified, peanut butter-based, ready-to-use therapeutic food endorsed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Nestle became aware of Meds & Food for Kids through Nestle Purina PetCare Company, its Nestle Purina affiliate headquartered in St. Louis, as well as its long-term strategic focus on creating value for society at large, a concept Nestle calls Creating Shared Value.  

"Nestle is proud to support Meds & Food for Kids," says Paul Bulcke, Nestle Chief Executive Officer. "This contribution comes in addition to our worldwide donation efforts for Haiti, with employee and company donations now standing at more than USD $2 million in cash and products."

Meds & Food for Kids was founded in 2003 by Dr. Patricia Wolff, a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Wolff, who recently returned to St. Louis after spending 42 days in Haiti, said: "We are at once grateful and overwhelmed by Nestle's generosity in this time of need. This is one of the largest contributions we've ever received and will directly support increased production and distribution of life-saving, nutritious food in Haiti.  In addition, this donation will help fund Haiti's future with a new facility designed for safe food processing and large-scale production."

Nestle Purina PetCare Company President and Chief Executive Officer W. Patrick McGinnis plans to host a reception in March at Purina's St. Louis headquarters to congratulate Dr. Wolff and to further recognize the Meds & Food for Kids organization.

About Nestle Purina PetCare Company

Nestle Purina PetCare Company is part of Nestle in the United States, which consists of five main businesses, including Nestle USA, Nestle Waters North America, Nestle Nutrition and Nestle Professional. Together, these companies operate more than 120 locations in 47 states and employ more than 44,000 people.

Nestle in the United States sells some of the world's best-known brands and products seen every day, and that families have come to enjoy and rely on for years. Nestle's businesses in the United States have combined product sales totaling around $28 billion in 2009.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare Company

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