Weight Watchers® Continues Fight Against Obesity And Hunger With 5th Annual Lose For Good® Campaign

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Weight Watchers today announced the launch of its 5^th Annual Lose For Good campaign, which gives members and Weight Watchers Online subscribers the chance to help fight global hunger and chronic malnutrition, simply by losing weight. Since the inaugural campaign in 2008, Weight Watchers has donated $4 million to the campaign's charitable partners to help fight hunger—and is committed to grow that total to $5 million this year.  

Between September 2 and October 20, as Weight Watchers members and Weight Watchers Online subscribers lose weight, Weight Watchers will donate up to $1 million to hunger fighting organizations Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. Share Our Strength focuses on ending childhood hunger in the United States through its No Kid Hungry® campaign, while Action Against Hunger fights hunger and chronic malnutrition around the world.

"Providing the tools to live a healthier life is at the core of our mission, and we're committed to helping our members not only to lose weight to improve their own health, but – through Lose For Good – also the health and lives of others," said Dave Burwick, President, Weight Watchers North America.

On September 15, Weight Watchers will host Lose For Good® Open House events at select Weight Watchers locations that will include a special one-day offer and food drives to benefit local food banks.  Many members choose to donate an amount of food equivalent to the amount of weight they've lost.   

"It is illuminating for our members to donate the amount of food equivalent to the amount they have lost. It represents how one person's loss can be another's gain," said Burwick.   

Over the past four years, the Weight Watchers Lose For Good donations to Share Our Strength through its No Kid Hungry campaign have funded more than 110 strategic grants to key community partners in 39 states, many of which have focused on supporting school breakfast initiatives. Through these grants, children also can participate in programs that expand the availability of summer meals and teach families how to cook healthy, affordable meals.  

"Teachers tell us that kids who come to school hungry often have a hard time concentrating, resulting in poor academic performance," said Billy Shore, Founder and  CEO of Share Our Strength. "One of the ways the No Kid Hungry campaign is making a difference is by introducing schools to innovative models for serving school breakfast so that more eligible students can start the day with a nutritious meal."

The Lose For Good campaign is also battling hunger and helping to save the lives of malnourished children and families in over 40 countries through Weight Watchers partnership with Action Against Hunger.  Since 2008, Weight Watchers has donated $1.2 million to the international hunger fighting organization.

"Action Against Hunger works to eradicate malnutrition, a human tragedy that is both preventable and treatable. Lose for Good has made invaluable contributions to our lifesaving work around the world. We're proud that this partnership helps us to provide the right nutrition so that children can have a bright future, both in the US and globally," said Nan Dale, CEO, Action Against Hunger's Chief Executive Officer.

Learn more about the Lose For Good campaign, and how you can participate, visit www.WeightWatchers.com/LoseForGood.

About Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Weight Watchers International, Inc. is the world's leading provider of weight management services, operating globally through a network of Company-owned and franchise operations. Weight Watchers holds over 45,000 meetings each week where members receive group support and learn about healthy eating patterns, behavior modification and physical activity. WeightWatchers.com provides innovative, subscription weight management products over the Internet and is the leading Internet-based weight management provider in the world. In addition, Weight Watchers offers a wide range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight loss and weight control.

About Share Our Strength
Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through its No Kid Hungry® campaign - a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015 - Share Our Strength ensures children in need are enrolled in effective federal nutrition programs; invests in community organizations fighting hunger; teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals; and builds public-private partnerships to end hunger, nationally and at the state and city level. Working closely with the culinary industry and relying on the strength of its volunteers, Share Our Strength hosts innovative culinary fundraising events and develops pioneering cause marketing campaigns that support No Kid Hungry. Visit NoKidHungry.org to get involved.

About Action Against Hunger | ACF International
Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger. Recognized as a leader in the fight against malnutrition,  Action Against Hunger works to save the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. With over 30 years of expertise in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, Action Against Hunger runs life-saving programs in some 40 countries benefiting 5 million people each year.

SOURCE Weight Watchers