Feeding America® Turns the Nation Orange for Hunger Action Month(TM)

Nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity dedicates September to raising awareness about hunger in America, encourages citizens to wear orange on Sept. 5 to show support

CHICAGO, Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hunger advocates from across the country will wear orange on Sept. 5 in an effort to raise awareness about the 50 million people in the U.S. who face hunger. This is just one of many events that will take place throughout the month of September in honor of Feeding America's Hunger Action Month – a month-long campaign to help end hunger in the U.S.

Starting Sept. 1, Feeding America and its network of more than 200 food banks and 61,000 partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters) across the country will kick off Hunger Action Month by holding events to inspire people to take action. Celebrities, government leaders, major U.S. corporations and grass-roots volunteers across the nation will join together this month to support this multi-faceted effort to mobilize the public around this year's theme of "Together We Can Solve Hunger.^TM"

Events include a celebrity packing event in Los Angeles with the cast and characters from Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, the release of Feeding America's new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign about childhood hunger and major monuments lighting up orange throughout the month.

Feeding America CEO Bob Aiken and Panera Bread Founder and CEO Ron Shaich will also partner in September to take the SNAP Challenge. The two hunger advocates will undertake the symbolic week-long awareness effort to experience what life is like for millions of low-income Americans living on the average daily food stamp allowance of about $4.50.

"It's unfortunate that in the 'land of plenty' there are people who have to worry about having enough food for their families," said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America. "Hunger Action Month is a great way to remind people that hunger exists everywhere – in every neighborhood and every community – but by working together we can spread the word that hunger is real, hunger is solvable and action matters. Together we can solve hunger."

The issue of hunger is of critical importance today given that a staggering 1 in 6 people in the U.S. are at risk. Nationally, there are more than 50 million people who struggle with hunger – including 16.7 million children.

Other events taking place during Hunger Action Month include:

• Hunger Action Day: hunger advocates will be wearing orange to show their support of hunger awareness (Thursday, Sept. 5)
• Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 will partner with food banks for food packing events in Boston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Detroit (Monday, Sept. 9)
• Buildings around the country will be lighting up orange throughout the month to show their support of Hunger Action Month. Some soon-to-be orange buildings include: Houston City Hall; Chase Tower in Phoenix; US Bank building in Milwaukee; and Sundance Square in Ft. Worth, TX
• Collaboration with AARP and AARP Foundation through Drive to End Hunger, including meal packing events, forums and unique co-branding activities to help the nearly nine million older Americans who struggle with food insecurity.

To learn more about Hunger Action Month, please visit www.hungeractionmonth.org.

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 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate.  Together we can solve hunger.

For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find Feeding America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow Feeding America news on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

Media Contact:
Lucio Guerrero
(312) 629-7219, [email protected]

SOURCE Feeding America