McDonald's® Tri-State Owners Award Grants To Local Organizations To Support Community Nutrition Initiatives

ISELIN, N.J., Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's New York Tri-State area restaurants today announced the recipients of its first-ever New York Metro Nutrition Network grants.

The Nutrition Network, launched in March 2012, is a community outreach initiative designed to provide funds to local organizations to build or enhance existing grassroots nutrition programs and to partner with communities in advancing nutrition education.  It is an extension of McDonald's company-wide commitment to offer improved nutrition alternatives and to help customers and their families make informed eating choices.  The seed funding will allow the five selected organizations to bring nutrition information and guidance to their respective communities.

Recipients were evaluated based on a number of factors, including program reach, sustainability, uniqueness and financial need.  Organizations were selected by a judging committee comprised of nutrition and nonprofit experts, McDonald's Owner/Operators and corporate representatives. The organizations are:

• Let's Celebrate (Hudson County, New Jersey); Let's Celebrate's mission is to help people move from hunger to wholesome by providing a continuum of services to the community of Hudson County, New Jersey. 
• SoBro (Bronx, New York); South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation addresses community development, assists businesses with starting and growing, offers opportunities for youth and creates affordable housing and commercial space that reverses the blight in the community.
• Star Inc., Fairfield (Fairfield, Connecticut); STAR, Inc. Lighting the Way serves over 500 individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities.  Services provided include infant/early childhood intervention services and providing families with information, behavioral intervention and advocacy. 
• Hillside Food Outreach (Westchester, New York); Hillside Food Outreach's mission is to deliver healthy food to those in need including the elderly, children under 18, the housebound due to illness or disability and those with no transportation or food pantry nearby. 
• Island Harvest (Long Island, New York); Island Harvest is the bridge between those with surplus food and those who need it, supplying a network of nearly 570 community-based nonprofit organizations on Long Island with critical food and supportive services to help stem the advancing tide of hunger in local communities.

"As evident from the overwhelming number of applications we received from organizations across the New York Tri-State, there is a real need for support of nutrition education for residents in our local communities," said Anthony Scari, president of the McDonald's New York Tri-State Owner/Operators Association. "Now more than ever, McDonald's is committed to supporting these efforts and we look forward to the work these organizations will perform for their constituents."

Each of the five organizations selected will be acknowledged with a presentation in their community in the upcoming weeks. Programs must be completed by December 31, 2012.

ABOUT McDONALD'S NEW YORK TRI-STATE RESTAURANTS:  

McDonald's is one of the world's best-known brands and is a global leader in food service. There are more than 600 McDonald's restaurants, owned by over 100 franchisees, located throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Tri-State area.  Visit www.mcdonaldsnytristate.com or follow us on Twitter @McDNYTriState for information about other McDonald's area programs.

SOURCE McDonald's New York Tri-State Restaurants