Wonder® Bread Presents $10,000 Donations to the First Three "Share The Wonder" Winners -- Weill Cornell Community Clinic, Families in Transition and Second Harvest

IRVING, Texas, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Wonder® bread has announced that Weill Cornell Community Clinic, Families in Transition, and Second Harvest are the first three of nine charities to receive $10,000 donations as part of the "Share the Wonder" campaign, celebrating the brand's 90-year heritage. The Share the Wonder program, which launched on January 15, 2012, lasts for 90 days and invites Americans to nominate inspirational charities in their communities for the chance to have $10,000 donated to charity in their name. 

The Weill Cornell Community Clinic (WCCC), which was founded in 1958, is an initiative led by students of the Weill Cornell Medical College to provide high-quality, equitable healthcare for uninsured individuals throughout New York City. With an estimated 700,000 uninsured adults between the ages of 18 and 64 in NYC, WCCC provides crucial services to underprivileged populations, while encouraging a spirit of volunteerism among medical students and faculty.

Founded in 2003, Families in Transition serves the educational needs of homeless children in the Seminole County School System in Central Florida. The organization has identified and supported more than 8,500 homeless kids, providing assistance with enrollment, transportation, school supplies, free breakfast and lunch and much more.

Second Harvest, founded in 1997 in Spokane, WA, provides a safe and nutritious supply of food to families, children and seniors in need. The program distributes 460,000 pounds of food each month to food banks and meal centers across the Inland Northwest. The $10,000 Share the Wonder donation, in the name of nominator Lori O'Neil, will be going directly to help Second Harvest construct its brand new facility which will be completed later this year. The new building will help the organization continue its critical mission and better serve community member in need.

"Inspiration has been Wonder bread's most important ingredient for more than 90 years and has helped make it an American Classic," said Tameika Miller, Brand Manager for the bakers of Wonder. "The Share the Wonder program is an opportunity for consumers to share stories of charitable work that inspires them and for Wonder to recognize the impact inspiration can have on all of our lives," Miller added. "We are celebrating Wonder's heritage by supporting local community organizations that inspire us daily and we are proud to support the mission and dedicated efforts of the Weill Cornell Community Clinic, Families in Transition and Second Harvest."

Now through April 13, 2012, consumers can continue to visit Wonder's Facebook page www.facebook.com/WonderBread to nominate local charities* – either local chapters of national organizations or community-based entities – that are making a difference in the lives of others. During the course of the 90-day Share the Wonder program, a total of nine inspiring charities will be selected to each receive a $10,000 donation in the name of the nominating individuals or families, for a total of $90,000 in donations. 

In support of the Share the Wonder program, special limited-edition Wonder retro packaging featuring the brand's inspirational history and the classic red, yellow and blue balloons is available in stores across the country.  Consumers can also Share the Wonder by entering for a chance to win retro prizes, which include t-shirts, lunch boxes, and cookbooks -- all featuring the iconic Wonder balloons.

Throughout the Share the Wonder program, consumers will find a daily dose of inspiration with uplifting quotes, fun facts, anniversaries and birthdays on Wonder's Facebook wall. By joining Wonder's Facebook community at www.facebook.com/wonderbread, fans can share their thoughts and add to the discussion with their own sources of inspiration. For more information about Wonder, please visit www.wonderbread.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wonderbread.

*To be eligible, nominated charities must be registered as 501(c)(3) organizations. For complete rules and eligibility, please visit the Share the Wonder Facebook tab at www.facebook.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 March 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. The brand also launched Wonder® Smartwheat®, last year, 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, became the first brand to take THE DOCTORS' "Halt the Salt" pledge, and publicly commit to NSRI guidelines.  Already, Wonder® Classic and Wonder® made with Whole Grain White and Smartwhite are baked to have reduced sodium.

SOURCE Wonder