Kroger Raises Funds to Feed Nation's Hungry

 Kroger "Bringing Hope to the Table"  Will Raise Funds For America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network
 
CHICAGO --- May 24, 2006 --- America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network today announced that they will receive $4 million in funds and grocery products from Kroger, in partnership with Acosta Sales and Marketing agency and several participating consumer packaged-goods brands. The new "Bringing Hope to the Table" program will take place the first two weeks of June.

This donation will assist more than 85 food-rescue and food bank members of America's Second Harvest that provide food and grocery products to thousands of people throughout the nation.

"Bringing Hope to the Table" will aid America's Second Harvest's through the in-store promotion of a variety of food and consumer packaged goods at Kroger locations throughout the country.  An additional goal of the promotion is to increase awareness of the prevalence of hunger in America.

Participating Kroger stores will support the program through print advertising, in-store flyers and point-of-purchase signage.

"This important donation will help provide food to thousands of people at risk of hunger," said Vicki Escarra, president and chief executive officer of America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization.  "Kroger's Bringing Hope to the Table promotion is the largest promotion of its kind for our network. It partners a major retailer with food manufacturers to address the common goal of providing food to people at risk of hunger.  Kroger, the participating manufacturers and Acosta Sales and Marketing agency are to be commended for their efforts.  We’re extremely grateful for their commitment to hunger relief demonstrated by this donation."

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About America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network
America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network is the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a Network of more than 200 regional Member food banks and food-rescue programs serving all 50 states and Puerto Rico.  The Network secures and distributes nearly two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually.  The America's Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 feeding agencies nationwide, including food pantries, soup kitchens, women's shelters, and Kids Cafes.  These local organizations provide emergency food assistance to 25 million hungry Americans, including more than nine million children and nearly three million seniors each year.  For more information on America’s Second Harvest, visit www.secondharvest.org.