C&S Wholesale Grocers Fund Feeding America National Backpack Program

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Jun 23, 2010, 01:07 ET

Providing Nutritious Food to Children at Risk of Hunger is Goal

CHICAGO, June 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Feeding America today announced that C&S Wholesale Grocers is providing funding to expand and improve Feeding America's nationwide BackPack Program. The program provides weekend food supplies to low-income children living at risk of hunger.

C&S Wholesale Grocers is a Feeding America Mission Partner, meaning that they donate a combination of groceries, food and funds valued at more than $1 million annually.

The BackPack Program, which Feeding America started in 2006, has rapidly expanded in the past four years and currently provides backpacks filled with child-friendly food to more than 200,000 each year.

"We are deeply appreciative of this grant from C&S Wholesaler Grocers. During these tough economic times, there is an urgent need to acquire and distribute nutritious food to children living on the brink of hunger," said Vick Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. "The USDA estimates that more than 17 million children are now living in food insecure homes."

"We began the BackPack Program because we heard so many stories about children showing up for school on Monday mornings who had either not eaten, or survived on very little food over the weekend," Escarra said. "This has proved to be such a successful and vital program that we receive inquiries on a daily basis from communities eager to start their own programs."

"Helping kids through Feeding America's BackPack Program is something that C&S and our employees are proud to support. It's a simple but powerful way to provide for children over weekends or when meals may be scant or even unavailable," said Gina S. Goff, director of Community Involvement.

Congress is currently considering legislation that could increase access to nutritious food for children in need, in times when they need it most, such as over the weekend.

Feeding America and C&S Wholesale Grocers share a commitment to addressing childhood hunger and, through nourishment and health, to expand opportunities for families across the United States. This partnership offers an important way to elevate the reach of the BackPack Program in the company's communities, to help the program innovate and evolve, to ensure the program's sustainability, and to leverage corporate assets toward the issue of childhood hunger.

The grant for C&S Wholesale Grocers will also help raise awareness of the BackPack Program.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's largest 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 C&S Wholesale Grocers

C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to stop hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company's employees and facilities.

C&S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, N.H. is the largest food wholesaler and according to Forbes magazine, the 12th largest privately held company in the United States. The company distributes food to supermarkets, retail stores and military bases across the country. Currently, C&S serves about 3,900 stores from more than 50 locations in 11 states. Among our customers are many of America's best known companies, including Stop & Shop, Giant of Carlisle, Giant of Landover, Shaw's, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P), Ralphs, Safeway and Target.