Food for Thought Denver Wins $20,000 Grant As Part of Walmart's Fighting Hunger Together Initiative

DENVER, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Food For Thought Denver has been selected as one of 60 winning hunger relief agencies to receive a $20,000 grant from Walmart's Fighting Hunger Together initiative. Throughout April, customers voted for more than 300 Feeding America food banks and their partner agencies by visiting www.walmart.com/hunger. As a result of the votes cast, 100 food banks and partner agencies will receive a total of $3 million in grants — 40 Feeding America member food banks will receive $1.8 million in grants ($45k each) and 60 of their partner agencies will receive $1.2 million in grants ($20k each).

Food For Thought Denver is one of 61,000 Feeding America partner agencies located throughout the United States. The Feeding America network of food banks and their partner food assistance agencies, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and after-school programs, feed 37 million people annually, including nearly 14 million children.

"During the spring months we typically experience a drop in our overall donations. Initiatives like Fighting Hunger Together provide an avenue for anyone, regardless of their financial situation to help make a positive impact in our community," said Bob Bell, Founder of Food For Thought Denver. "With this grant, we will be able to feed hundreds of families in Denver during the 2013/2014 school year."

The $20,000 grant will be used to provide 5,000 PowerSacks of non-perishable food to bridge the hunger gap that many children experience over weekend.  These students receive breakfast and lunch during the week at school, but often arrive at school on Monday morning hungry and unable to focus and learn. Each PowerSack is designed to feed a family of four for the weekend.

"We want to thank the local organizations, volunteers and customers who participated in this campaign and work to support their communities year round," said Julie Gehrki, senior director of the Walmart Foundation. "Through their efforts, we can bring attention to the need local communities experience during the spring months and help fill the gap by providing ways for customers to generate millions of meals and volunteer."

The Fighting Hunger Together initiative is part of Walmart's and the Walmart Foundation's $2 billion commitment through 2015 to fight hunger. To learn more about the program and Walmart's commitment, visit www.walmart.com/hunger.

About Food For Thought Denver

Food For Thought Denver is a local non-profit organization having a big impact in the fight against hunger for metro Denver children. Each Friday, Food For Thought delivers over 600 "PowerSacks" of non-perishable food to the students (ages 3-12) at Garden Place Academy and Columbian Elementary schools in Denver.  Over 90% of the students at each of these schools qualify for federal free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs.

Food For Thought Denver is a 100% volunteer effort, with more than 600 registered volunteers currently in the program. The organization is committed to keeping overhead expenses at zero – every dollar raised is used to buy food that goes directly to the students the organization serves.

Food For Thought Denver is a program of the Arvada Sunrise Rotary Foundation in partnership with Metro State University in Denver. Other corporate supporters include SquareTwo Financial, Mile Hi Property, Centerplate and Roth Distributing. For more information about Food For Thought Denver, please visit our website at http://www.foodforthoughtdenver.org

About Philanthropy at Walmart 
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief and Nutrition, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women's Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than one billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

Contact: Bob Bell
Executive Director and Founder
[email protected]
Phone: 720-201-9192

SOURCE Food For Thought Denver