Smart Circle's "Foodie Wars" Raises Over 4 Tons of Food For Families Forwards' Food Pantry

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Aug 09, 2019, 07:52 ET

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In Orange County, California over 27,000 school-age children have housing insecurity and one in five children struggle to avoid hunger. That's why Smart Circle International conducts "Foodie Wars", an annual employee food drive benefitting Families Forward.

Families Forward is a non-profit organization that supports one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population – working families struggling to make ends meet.

Smart Circle International donates $5,000.00 to become an Angel sponsor for Families Forward. Smart Circle International employees also deliver 8,532 lbs. of food raised during annual "Foodie Wars" food drive.
L to R (Front Row) Michelle Morales, Claudia Leon, Mayra Osorio, Amy Ta, Briana Iniestra, Marissa Hall, Alex Del Castillo, Diana Nguyen , Rick Emerling, Michelle Kendall. L to R (Back Row) Max Ditzler, Kristin Zeller, Jigna Patel, Kiara Thompson, Ruben Garza, Bill Nicely. — Smart Circle International donates $5,000.00 to become an Angel sponsor for Families Forward. Smart Circle International employees also deliver 8,532 lbs. of food raised during annual "Foodie Wars" food drive. L to R (Front Row) Michelle Morales, Claudia Leon, Mayra Osorio, Amy Ta, Briana Iniestra, Marissa Hall, Alex Del Castillo, Diana Nguyen , Rick Emerling, Michelle Kendall. L to R (Back Row) Max Ditzler, Kristin Zeller, Jigna Patel, Kiara Thompson, Ruben Garza, Bill Nicely.

Families Forward's community food pantry serves over 6,500 individuals annually. "Our pantry shelves were concerningly low. We receive numerous donations around the holidays, but families need food year-round," said Margie Wakeham, CEO at Families Forward. Summer is especially tough when nearly 250,000 children who receive free or reduced-price school lunch are out on break.

This year Smart Circle donated over 8,532 pounds of food. "Foodie Wars is a fantastic event. Employee volunteers at our Newport Beach office form teams and get competitive," said Michelle Morales, Human Resources Manager at Smart Circle. "They coordinate group shopping, sneak food in, and wait until seconds before the deadline to run in with jaw dropping donation amounts. We must have had a Costco delivery truck here every day for a month," said Michelle Kendall, a Logistics Administrator at Smart Circle.

Winners spend the day volunteering at the Families Forward Food Pantry. "It's such an easy, uplifting and impactful event. We encourage other local companies to do the same," said Jigna Patel, COO at Smart Circle.

About Families Forward
Since 1984, Families Forward has been helping families in Orange County, CA who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, providing housing resources, food, counseling, career coaching, tenant education, and other support services that help return families to self-sufficiency. For more information about Families Forward, visit www.families-forward.org or call 949-552-2727.

About Smart Circle International
Smart Circle is the country's premier leader in face-to-face marketing. They work with today's biggest brands and Fortune 500 companies to develop customized in-person marketing campaigns that drive sales and build new customer bases. To learn more about Smart Circle, visit https://www.smartcircle.com

SOURCE Smart Circle