Kellogg Company has released details about multiple programs and partnerships it has established to help in the fight against summer hunger in 2020.
It’s now estimated that 18 million kids (1 in 4) in the U.S. could face hunger because of the Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic.1 The company has long been committed to addressing the issue of food security year-round through its Kellogg’s® Better Days global purpose platform, but the need is heightened this summer.
Since mandatory school closures began earlier this year as a result of COVID, millions of students have been missing the school breakfast and lunch they rely on every day and the challenge to gain access to meals is continuing well into the summer months.
That’s why Kellogg and the Kellogg Company Fund are continuing to support a number of hunger initiatives this summer, which are also helping to support long-term COVID-19 recovery:
- Kellogg has donated $70,000 to United Way to support programs that offer free summer breakfasts and lunches for children in Battle Creek, Des Moines, Dallas, and Seattle. Summer meal programs ensure that children and families in underserved communities continue to receive consistent access to nutritious meals.
- Throughout July, Kellogg is partnering with regional grocer Hy-Vee for the “End Summer Hunger” campaign, supporting Feeding America. Specially marked packages of Kellogg’s® Frosted Mini-Wheats®, Kellogg’s® Club Crackers and Town House Crackers will inform shoppers that Kellogg will make a donation to food banks in Hy-Vee communities each time that item is purchased. Kellogg has committed to distribute up to $100,000 among 17 food banks.
- In June, Kellogg supported regional grocer Food Lion’s “Summers Without Hunger” campaign. Food Lion shoppers had the opportunity to make a $5 donation to Food Lion Feeds via a “virtual food donation backpack,” which triggered a matching gift of $5 in food from Kellogg and other participating brands to the shopper’s local food bank. In all, Kellogg donated a total of 250,000 Nutri-Grain® bars, cereals and snacks.
- Earlier this year, Kellogg donated $850,000 to support school breakfast programs. Some of those funds were advanced for immediate COVID relief and the rest of the funds continue to aid No Kid Hungry’s hunger relief work, including through the summer months.
- Kellogg also extended its annual support of Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) summer breakfast report and its companion summer lunch report, which measure successes and shortfalls in reaching hungry children in the U.S. FRAC will also use Kellogg-sponsored funds to help drive awareness, and share best practices and start-up costs for implementing summer breakfast service in multiple locations.
“Feeding children in need is especially challenging this summer, as many of the standard models for providing meals to kids in communities have needed to change due to the pandemic,” said Stephanie Slingerland, Kellogg Company’s Senior Director, Philanthropy and Social Impact.
“Summer feeding programs have implemented neighborhood meal delivery service, while others have set up remote grab-and-go stations. And some have had to temporarily suspend or scale back their meal service,” Stephanie said. “Kellogg will continue to support communities in the coming months, and we thank our food bank and charity partners for the incredible work they’re doing to feed children and families.”
Kellogg’s summer hunger efforts are part of the company’s Kellogg’s® Better Days global signature cause platform, which is also bolstering long-term COVID recovery support to families around the world. This work contributes to our global commitment to create Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through addressing the interconnected issues of food security, climate resiliency and well-being for people, communities and the planet. To date, Kellogg has donated more than $13 million in food and funds to global COVID hunger relief efforts. You can read more about our efforts to help end summer hunger here.
