'Child Hunger Ends Here: A Special Report' Sheds Light On Child Hunger in America

USA - English

• Latin America - español

OMAHA, Neb., March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ConAgra Foods® (NYSE: CAG) and Feeding America®, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization, will premiere "Child Hunger Ends Here: A Special Report" on select NBC stations across the nation on March 19. The 30-minute special, hosted by Al Roker with Natalie Morales, gives viewers a better understanding about the negative effects of hunger on children and how they can help end child hunger.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/conagra/48986/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110316/MM64103 )

"One in four children is facing hunger in America. For families that include our neighbors and friends, hunger is a battle that is being lost at the kitchen table," said Al Roker, host of "Child Hunger Ends Here: A Special Report."

The television special visits families across the country showing viewers the new face of hunger in the United States.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17.2 million children in America are at risk of hunger. Of the 37 million Americans served annually by Feeding America member food banks, nearly 14 million are children under the age of 18.

"The statistics of child hunger in the United States are staggering, but the issue is made so much more real when you hear the personal stories of families struggling to make ends meet and to feed their families nutritious meals each day," said Gary Rodkin, CEO of ConAgra Foods. "I hope this special will help consumers better understand the negative effects of child hunger and how they can help."

The special premieres on Saturday, March 19, on NBC stations in 11 markets including: Chicago, Dallas, Hartford, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The program will also be syndicated in up to 200 additional markets.

Viewers can learn more about hunger by participating in an online event by following #ChildHungerEndsHere on Twitter during the broadcast from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET on March 19. Participants can ask questions, interact with members of the ConAgra Foods and Feeding America teams, and participate in trivia contests.

The special kicks off ConAgra Foods' annual Child Hunger Ends Here campaign. From March through May 2011, ConAgra Foods will embark on its largest branded initiative to fight child hunger in the United States. Consumers can purchase select ConAgra Foods brands and, when they enter their code online, the company will donate one meal to Feeding America – up to 2.5 million meals during this time period.* This is in addition to ConAgra Foods' donations that help provide more than 1 million meals per month each year.

Visit www.ChildHungerEndsHere.com and enter the eight-digit purchase code found on specially marked packages. Participating brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Fresh Mixers, Kid Cuisine, Marie Callender's and Peter Pan. Every code entered is another meal that ConAgra Foods will enable Feeding America to secure through local food banks. Codes on specially marked packages can be redeemed through August 2011.

In addition, consumers can make a financial contribution to Feeding America through a mobile giving campaign. Simply text "FEEDKIDS" to 50555 to make a $10 donation directly to Feeding America. Each $10 donation helps provide 70 meals to children in need.

The campaign builds on a commitment by ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation to end child hunger, which has resulted in donations of more than 250 million pounds of food to Feeding America since 1993. ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation have also donated $35 million to Feeding America, including a recent five-year, $10 million pledge from the ConAgra Foods Foundation, the largest donation ever made to Feeding America specifically to fight child hunger.

"ConAgra Foods has been a tremendous partner and leader in the fight against childhood hunger for since 1993," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America. "We aren't able to do our work without committed, long-term partners."

* When consumers activate their purchase online at www.childhungerendshere.com and enter an eight digit code, a monetary donation will be made enabling one meal to be secured by Feeding America on behalf of local food banks, up to a maximum of 2.5 million meals for codes entered through 8/31/11. Valid in US only. $1 donated = 7 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local food banks.

SOURCE ConAgra Foods