Franchises fighting to end hunger

America, land of the free and the plenty, but this is not true for every U.S. citizen. For some, hunger is a real battle they face daily. According, to the United States Department of Agriculture 2013 Economic Research Report, 15.8 percent (49.1 million) of Americans are food insecure (those with low food security). Among the 49.1 million Americans who lived in food-insecure households 33.3 million were adult and 15.8 million were children. With programs like Feeding America and No Kid Hungry, businesses are striving to reach out a helping hand and reduce the number of food insecure household each year.

Feeding America is the nation’s largest leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Its mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need with nutritious food and teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The campaign also engages with the public to make ending child hunger a national priority. In an effort to raise money for Feeding America, participant Toppers Pizza* developed special promotions, Topperstix™ eating contests and even volunteered their personal time.  Every dollar donated to Feeding America provides nine meals for families in need. Over the past three years, Toppers Pizza has raised a total of $146,328 for Feeding America, the equivalent of 1,170,624 meals. Other brands such as MOOYAH Burgers Fries & Shakes and Back Yard Burgers partner with No Kid Hungry, focusing on ending child hunger. MOOYAH and Back Yard Burgers use a similar process to Feeding America to raise funds. Participating restaurants ask customers whether they would like to add $1 to their purchase to be donated to the No Kid Hungry campaign. In addition, each restaurant has a No Kid Hungry donation box placed near the cash registers. “Everyone has a role in helping end child hunger in America, “ said Monte Jump, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Back Yard Burgers. “As a business in the restaurant and food industry, we felt it was our absolute duty to get involved and help our community.” According to No Kid Hungry, 9,000 restaurants participated in the 2013 campaign, raising over $7.5 million. The number of restaurants participating in this year’s campaign has already grown exponentially since 2013 and is expected to continue to increase in 2015. “One in five children goes to bed hungry every night,” said Jump. “No Kid Hungry is a program that unlocks new opportunities for children who do not have the means of transportation to get to food. The campaign not only helps children around the nation, but focuses on community involvement. It is a great way for businesses to help their local community and the children who grow up there.” To get involved or learn more about Feeding America, visit http://feedingamerica.org/; for No Kid Hungry, visit https://www.nokidhungry.org/