ConAgra Foods Donates Nine Million Pounds of Food to Help Feed Hungry Children

Contact:
Scott Beaudoin, 617-272-8417
Maria Vugrin, 617-272-8378

Omaha Food Company Matches USDA's Commitment to Expand Summer Food Program By Nine Million Meals

Omaha, NE -- March 6, 2002 -- ConAgra Foods, Inc. today announced a donation of nine million pounds of food to America's Second Harvest to help fight child hunger in America. The donation will help feed children who suffer from increased hunger over the summer months when they no longer receive federally subsidized breakfasts and lunches. Throughout the school year, more than 14 million children who might otherwise go hungry are fed through these free or reduced-price meal programs. However, only 3.2 million children receive such assistance once school is out for the summer.

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the expansion of the Summer Food Service Program for Children with an additional nine million meals to feed hungry children during the summer months. ConAgra Foods' nine million pound match builds on its two-year-old Feeding Children Better program, the nation's largest corporate initiative dedicated solely to ending child hunger in America. ConAgra Foods' Feeding Children Better program, in partnership with America's Second Harvest, directly impacts child hunger through three primary initiatives:

1. Getting food to kids who need it by opening at least 100 new Kids Cafes by the end of 2002. Each of these kids-only afterschool feeding programs serves an estimated 10-12,000 free, nutritious meals in safe and nurturing environments. ConAgra Foods has already funded 70 new Kids Cafes.

2. Repairing breakdowns in food distribution. ConAgra Foods is funding computerization of America's Second Harvest's network of food banks and buying trucks for almost half the nations food banks.

3. Raising awareness about the problem through a public service advertising campaign created with the Ad Council. The PSAs seek to bring the hidden face of child hunger into the spotlight and encourage citizens to take action in their communities.

Last week in Washington, D.C., Lynn Phares, president of ConAgra Foods' Feeding Children Better Foundation, spoke about ConAgra Foods' work with the Ad Council and America's Second Harvest to spread the message about child hunger and inspire others to join the fight, "ConAgra Foods is dedicated to fighting child hunger in America and believes in the power of public-private-charitable partnerships to create a genuine impact on the health and happiness of America's kids."

As part of its program partnership with America's Second Harvest, ConAgra Foods participated in the organization's National Call to Action to Feed America Now press conference last week. The Call to Action urges American individuals and corporations to donate money, food or volunteer time to their local food banks in order to help fight hunger in the U.S. According to America's Second Harvest, the major downturn in the economy, subsequent massive layoffs and the events of September 11 have contributed to a significant increase in the number of Americans impacted by hunger. Food banks and feeding programs across the country are struggling to find enough food to meet this heightened demand.

To learn more about child hunger and ways to support hunger-relief efforts in your local community, call 1-800-FEEDKIDS or visit the Feeding Children Better website.