Oregon Food Bank receives $39,000 grant from Hunger Is to fight childhood hunger

PORTLAND, Ore. - Nov. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Oregon Food Bank has received a $39,000 grant from Hunger Is to help solve childhood hunger in the community. Oregon Food Bank, a member of Feeding America network of food banks, was nominated by the managers of Oregon and Clark County, Washington stores to receive this grant, which was made possible by customers who contributed generously during a month-long, in-store fundraiser this spring. Hunger Is, the joint charitable program of The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) featuring Academy Award®-nominated actress and Hunger Is Ambassador Viola Davis, raised more than $4.6 million from shoppers throughout 1,300 Safeway family of stores across the country, as well as through online contributions, to support eradicating childhood hunger in the United States.

Hunger Is allowed the local stores to identify an organization to receive the grant to help make a difference in their own community. The $39,000 Hunger Is grant will support local child hunger-relief efforts in providing sufficient and healthy meals to children in need. Along with community partners, Oregon Food Bank is able to provide support to at least 92,000 children each month.

“We’re very grateful to receive this Hunger Is grant and the recognition of the Safeway managers for our commitment to hunger-relief,” said Susannah Morgan, CEO of Oregon Food Bank. “Children in our community have the basic necessities like food in order to succeed, and this grant will make a difference. We thank everyone who donated to the campaign – together, we are solving hunger.”

To learn more about the Hunger Is campaign, visit http://www.HungerIs.org. For ways to get involved in hunger-relief efforts in Oregon and Clark County, Washington, visit http://www.oregonfoodbank.org.

About Oregon Food Bank
With sufficient public will and support of the entire community, we believe it is possible to eliminate hunger and its root causes. Oregon Food Bank collects and distributes food through a network of four Oregon Food Bank branches and 17 independent regional food banks serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. The Oregon Food Bank Network helps nearly 1 in 5 households fend off hunger. Oregon Food Bank also leads statewide efforts to increase resources for hungry families and to eliminate the root causes of hunger through advocacy, nutrition education, garden education, and helping communities strengthen local food systems.

About Hunger Is
Hunger Is, a joint charitable program of The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), is designed to build awareness and raise funds in an effort to eradicate childhood hunger in America. Funds raised through Hunger Is directly benefit programs focused on combating childhood hunger and improving health-related outcomes.

Through the Hunger Is Advisory Committee (HIAC), Hunger Is works together with the leading hunger organizations including Drexel University, Center for Hunger-Free Communities; Feeding America; Food Research and Action Center (FRAC); New York City Coalition Against Hunger; Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign; and WhyHunger. The HIAC provides guidance in defining and addressing needs and makes funding recommendations for approval by The Safeway Foundation and EIF Boards of Directors.

About The Safeway Foundation
Founded in 2001, The Safeway Foundation supports causes that impact our customers’ lives. Safeway stores provide the opportunity to mobilize funding and create awareness in our neighborhoods through the generous contributions by our customers, our employees’ passion and partnerships with our vendors. We focus on giving locally in the areas of health and human services, hunger relief, education and helping people with disabilities. Safeway Inc. and The Safeway Foundation have invested $1 billion in our neighborhoods since 2001.

About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger, and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger.