HATCH Launches National Crowdfunding Campaign with CDC Foundation on World Hunger Day to Close the U.S. Protein Gap

"The Missing Piece" campaign calls on donors nationwide to take action in the fight against hunger

CARMEL, Ind., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On World Hunger Day, HATCH, the nation's largest nonprofit addressing protein insecurity, announced its partnership with the CDC Foundation to launch a nationwide crowdfunding campaign to bring attention to one of the most urgent and overlooked challenges in food insecurity in the United States: access to protein. The campaign is one component of a broader strategy with industry leaders and hunger advocates like Tony Robbins to build the necessary infrastructure to unlock long-term protein access for food banks across the country.

The campaign, titled "The Missing Piece," highlights a critical gap in the charitable food system, positioning protein as the missing piece—and donors as the missing piece in solving it. As World Hunger Day shines a spotlight on hunger and the need for sustainable solutions, HATCH and the CDC Foundation aim to raise the $10 million needed to help deliver up to 3 billion protein-rich meals annually across the United States.

While protein is one of the most requested nutrients by families facing hunger, it remains one of the least available. Protein supports strength, development, and long-term health and is essential for growing children, parents, and older adults, yet access to nutritious protein sources remains limited for families who rely on the charitable food system.

HATCH is working to change that by building the infrastructure needed to move protein from where it is produced to where it is needed most, helping food banks, hunger relief organizations, and communities access nutrients essential for health and long-term well-being. Despite an abundant national protein supply, the charitable food system faces an estimated annual shortfall of nearly 800-million-pounds, driven by cost, transportation, and cold-chain limitations.

Through The Missing Piece campaign, donors nationwide are invited to take on a simple but powerful role: Be the Missing Piece. Every dollar donated up to $8M will be doubled thanks to a generous gift from hunger advocate Tony Robbins, amplifying the impact of every contribution. Every donation—and each individual share through social media—strengthens the system that moves protein from farms to families and brings the country closer to closing the protein gap for good. To take part in this opportunity to ensure people across America have access to the healthy protein they need to thrive, go to closetheproteingap.org.

"World Hunger Day serves as an important reminder that addressing hunger means looking beyond calories; we should be focusing on nutrition access as well," said Danny Leckie, CEO of HATCH. "Our food banks do such incredible work, but the system wasn't designed to move protein—a nutrient we know is essential to healthy development at every age. The American protein industry has committed to providing the supply, and HATCH has a proven protein-delivery model we know works. Now, we need the public. This campaign is about inviting every American to be part of a long-term solution to closing this gap."

"Access to nutritious food is fundamental to better health outcomes, and protein plays a critical role in that equation. We're proud to partner with HATCH on The Missing Piece campaign to help raise awareness around nutrition security and support solutions that create positive long-term impacts for communities nationwide," said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "By coming together through each of us doing our part, we can unlock billions of protein-rich meals for families and build a stronger, more effective food system."

This World Hunger Day, through its partnership with the CDC Foundation, HATCH is helping drive greater national attention to the role nutrition plays in long-term health. This crowdfunding effort serves as an immediate opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities across the country to participate in closing the protein gap. Every donation moves the country closer to a future where all families have reliable access to the protein they need to thrive.

Those looking to join the fight against hunger and keep up with all HATCH news, updates and announcements can visit HatchForHunger.com.

About HATCH

Founded in 2015, HATCH is on a mission to make lasting access to complete nutrition a reality for every community. Through partnerships with hunger relief organizations nationwide, HATCH helps deliver fresh, high-quality protein to families who need it most—creating stability, dignity, and nourishment where it's often hardest to find. Guided by its "1, 2, 3 Vision," HATCH is building a future where nutritious food is not a privilege, but a shared foundation for stronger, healthier generations to come. Follow HATCH on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners to support the public health system, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in preventing and responding to threats to health. In this role, the CDC Foundation is focused on one priority: building catalytic, flexible and impactful partnerships—with corporations, philanthropies, individuals and organizations—to help improve the health and lives of people in all communities, everywhere. Follow the CDC Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org.

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SOURCE HATCH