Seneca Foods Corporation, Manufacturer of Libby's Fruits and Vegetables, Donates Five Million Pounds of Canned Food to Feeding America

MARION, N.Y., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Seneca Foods Corporation, manufacturer of Libby's canned fruits and vegetables, is donating five million pounds of food to Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization. The donation, which is the largest ever one-time donation of canned fruits and vegetables combined in Feeding America's history, comes at a critical time. National data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in November reports that one in six Americans, and nearly one in four children, across the nation are struggling with hunger – the highest rates reported since the government agency began surveying 15 years ago.

Among Feeding America's network of food banks to receive product from this donation are: Channel One, Inc. Food Bank and Food Shelf in Rochester, MN; Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI; Foodlink, Inc. in Rochester, NY; The Idaho Foodbank in Boise, ID; Second Harvest Heartland in Maplewood, MN; Second Harvest Food Bank of San Joaquin & Stanislaus Counties in Manteca, CA; and Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin in Madison, WI. Additional donations will be distributed among Feeding America's food bank network this spring.

"We're proud to help families in need and continue our ten year partnership with Feeding America with this five million pound donation," said Kraig Kayser, chief executive officer, Seneca Foods Corporation. "Libby's has always been a strong supporter of helping families get back to the table with nutritious and cost-effective meals. With many Americans struggling to put food on the table, let alone serve nutritious meals, every effort helps."

"Thank you to Libby's for this incredible donation, which will certainly make an enormous impact in fighting hunger in communities across the nation," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America. "With 49 million people struggling with hunger, our country is in crisis right now. Canned fruits and vegetables are among the most needed items at the more than 200 food banks in our network because of their long shelf life and nutritional value. No American should go hungry, and we thank Seneca Foods Corporation for joining Feeding America in the fight against domestic hunger."

For more information from Libby's about how to get your family back to the table with easy, cost-effective meals, visit GetBacktotheTable.com.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

About Libby's

Libby's, the nation's third largest brand of canned fruits and vegetables, has been a staple in American pantries since the 1880s. With over 100 different sizes and varieties, Libby's offers among the industry's most complete lines of canned fruits and vegetables, including Libby's Naturals, with no added sugar or salt, and Libby's Organic Vegetables. In 2009, Libby's introduced fruit Jumbo Cups® with 50 percent more fruit in each cup. Since 1983, Libby's canned foods have been produced and distributed by Marion, NY-based Seneca Foods Corporation, an independent, publicly-traded, fully integrated food processing company.  For more information on Libby's and Seneca Foods visit SenecaFoods.com. For information on Libby's Get Back to the Table mission visit GetBacktotheTable.com or follow Libby's on Twitter at twitter.com/LibbysTable.

SOURCE Seneca Foods Corporation; Feeding America