Wonder® Bread Partners With the USO to Honor American Heroes

IRVING, Texas, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For a second year, Wonder® bread is partnering with the USO to celebrate ordinary Americans making extraordinary contributions to their families, communities and country with the 2012 Wonder Bread Heroes program. Wonder is inviting families across the country to join the celebration and nominate American heroes in their lives for a chance to have $50,000 donated to the USO in the winning hero's name. The Wonder Bread Hero winner will also receive $2,500 and a year's supply of Wonder to enjoy with his or her family.

"The USO and Wonder bread are two great American classics," said Tameika Miller, Brand Manager for the bakers of Wonder.  "For more than 70 years, the USO has been making a difference in the lives of our American troops and their families.  And for more than 90 years, Wonder bread has been a staple in American households and a family favorite. The Wonder Bread Heroes campaign gives us a chance to honor Americans making a difference in the lives of those around them while supporting the USO's mission and the creative programs it offers." 

From April 25th through June 8th, Americans can visit www.wonderbreadheroes.com to nominate friends, family members, coworkers or neighbors who go the extra mile for their families or communities each day. The Wonder Bread Hero winner will have the opportunity to direct the $50,000 donation to one of four USO programs: United Through Reading's Military Program, Operation Phone Home, Sesame Street/USO Experience Tour or the With You All the Way program. The winner will also receive $2,500 and a year's supply of Wonder bread. Two additional inspiring American heroes will receive honorable mentions, winning $1,000 each and a year's supply of Wonder bread. The Wonder Bread Hero winners will be announced on July 4th, as America celebrates Independence Day.

In addition to visiting the Wonder Bread Heroes website, families can pick up limited-edition, star-spangled packages of Wonder buns to find details about the program. The special all-American packaging, featuring the "Proud Supporter of the USO" emblem, is available on grocery shelves across the country throughout the spring and summer.

"This season as families and neighbors gather for cookouts, block parties and backyard gatherings, it's a great time to honor everyday heroes and thank them for the positive impact they make on the people in their local communities," said Ms. Miller.  "As a brand born out of inspiration, Wonder is proud to celebrate those who inspire others with their courageous and selfless efforts." 

"Honoring and supporting our nation's heroes is at the core of what we do at the USO," said USO SVP and Chief Development Officer Kelli Seely. "It is fitting that this partnership with Wonder® Bread will not only support our heroes who serve in the military and their families, but also those who make a difference through their service, here at home. Wonder® Bread's donation will go a long way toward helping the USO do what it does best- lift the spirits of troops and families through our many services and programs. Our troops count on this support and they deserve it." 

In addition to the $50,000 donation as part of the Wonder Bread Heroes campaign, Wonder is also partnering with the USO to support Ride2Recovery (R2R), which helps rehabilitate wounded and disabled veterans through cycling activities.. Wonder is donating bread for sandwiches at four R2R races taking place in different regions of the country throughout 2012.

For detailed information and rules for the program or to nominate a hero, please visit: www.wonderbreadheroes.com. For more information about Wonder, please visit www.wonderbread.com or become a part of Wonder's Facebook community at www.facebook.com/wonderbread. You can also follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wonderbread.

About Wonder:
Wonder bread, one of America's most popular brands of bread, has a long history of baking soft, delicious, and nutritious breads for the whole family. In 2010, Wonder® launched Smartwhite®, a new bread with the taste and soft texture of white bread - but with the fiber of 100% whole wheat bread. Last year, the brand also launched Wonder® Smartwheat®, a soft and delicious 100% whole wheat bread with added nutrition. Both breads have no high fructose corn syrup. In addition, Wonder Classic and Wonder Classic Sandwich breads have improved nutrition, providing the same amount of calcium as eight ounces of milk in two slices, and are good sources of vitamin D.

Wonder led the way in joining the National Sodium Reduction Initiative, an unprecedented public-private partnership established to help reduce sodium in foods by 20 percent over the next five years. Already, Wonder® Classic and Wonder® made with Whole Grain White and Smartwhite are baked to have reduced sodium.

About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors.  In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe's, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft Corporation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381).  To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

SOURCE Wonder(R) bread