One in four kids in the U.S. could face hunger this year because of the coronavirus. To provide immediate support to these children, Cheerios donated $1.3 million to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign focused on ending childhood hunger in America, and is now continuing its mission to inspire acts of good with the help of motivational personality and cheer all-star, Jerry Harris, who personally struggled with food insecurity as a child.
Starting today, Harris is kicking off a content series in partnership with Cheerios on his Instagram profile, @jerryharris, that will spread messages of positivity this summer and into the school year. Not only will Harris show fans how they can join Cheerios and No Kid Hungry in the fight to end child hunger, he’ll also lead a weekly Morning Motivation mat talk series that teaches people how to jump start their days with a dose of inspiration so they can spread that positivity to others.
“I personally grew up facing food insecurity and didn’t always know where my next meal was coming from,” said Harris. “It’s through those experiences that I learned the power of positivity and feel honored to now partner with Cheerios and No Kid Hungry to spread that message to others. It’s my privilege to do what I can to help brighten people’s days during this difficult year, while also using my voice to share resources and raise awareness for an issue I’m so passionate about. I firmly believe that a little positivity can help good go round and together we can make a difference.”
The critical funding from Cheerios and additional donation support from fans tuning into Harris’ content series will provide resources and grants to feed kids in critical areas across the country, including Harris’ second hometown of Corsicana, Texas. A portion of Cheerios’ donation will benefit Corsicana’s local FJV Foundation in their efforts to build a food pantry, which will allow them to serve more families in the community.
“Jerry Harris’ personal experience with food insecurity is one that is shared by too many kids in America today,” said Ricardo Fernandez, president of the Cereal division at General Mills. “We hope that our partnership with No Kid Hungry and Jerry opens people’s eyes to the impact this COVID-19 pandemic is having on childhood hunger rates and connects them to resources that help create solutions. This fight is critical because Cheerios believes that every kid should have access to the nutritious meals they need, so that each day can be fueled with positivity.”
Tune in to Jerry Harris’ Morning Motivation mat talk series on Tuesdays, starting August 11 through the first week of September on Instagram (@jerryharris). Fans are encouraged to help spread the word or share positivity by tagging Cheerios on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #GoodGoesRound.
For those who would like to support No Kid Hungry to help feed those in need, you can donate at NoKidHungry.org/Cheerios.
