Eighth Grader to Lead Kids in Delivering 15,000 Petition Signatures Demanding Hershey's School Stop Exploiting Children
HERSHEY, Pa., Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania eighth grade student, Jasper Perry-Anderson, will deliver more than 15,000 Valentine's Day petition signatures collected in less than ten days to the Hershey School Trust, demanding the school stop profiting from the exploitation of children in West Africa.
When: Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14, 10:00 a.m. ET
Where: Hershey School Trust Headquarters, 100 Mansion Road East, Hershey, PA 17033
What: Pennsylvania 8th Grader, family and friends will deliver more than 15,000 petition signatures and valentines to Hershey School Trust demanding they stop profiting from the exploitation of children in West Africa.
Jasper Perry-Anderson launched a campaign on Change.org after Hershey's recent promise to improve the lives of West African children forced to harvest cocoa for Hershey's failed to meet the standard set by competitors.
"Mr. Hershey established the Milton Hershey School and School Trust to provide full-time education and care for disadvantaged children," said Jasper. "As the majority stockholder of Hershey's Chocolate Company, the Hershey Trust also needs to do more to take care of the children in West Africa it's exploiting for profit."
The petition drop is coordinated by Raise the Bar, Hershey!, a coalition of organizations fighting ongoing labor abuses such as child labor, forced labor and trafficking in the cocoa industry. The campaign has involved over one hundred thousand consumers who voiced their concerns to Hershey about the company's child labor practices.
Jasper's petition is live at: http://www.change.org/petitions/hersheys-trust-stop-exploiting-children-to-grow-cocoa-beans. As of February 10, signature totals exceeded the goal of 15,000.
Journalists interested in contacting Hershey's public relations staff should try:
Andy McCormick, Vice President, Public Affairs
(717) 534-5739
[email protected]
Kirk Saville, Spokesperson
(800) 468-1714
[email protected]
Contact information for petition signers in your area can be arranged upon request:
Amanda Kloer
Director of Organizing, Change.org
[email protected]
The Raise the Bar, Hershey! Coalition is led by the following organizations:
GREEN AMERICA is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org
GLOBAL EXCHANGE is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. http://www.GlobalExchange.org
INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUM is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. http://www.LaborRights.org
For more information on Change.org, please visit:
Change.org is the world's fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.
SOURCE Green America, Washington, D.C.
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