Americold, Kraft Heinz, and Feed the Children recently worked together to deliver nine truckloads of Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes to families across the nation living below the poverty line. In total, more than 9,400 miles were traveled to bring 125 tons of frozen potatoes to California, Washington, Oklahoma, Illinois, and surrounding areas.
Families who were struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic are facing compounding variables that make daily life even more challenging—from surges of new COVID variants, devastation from natural disasters, and worsening of food access, to possible job loss, decreased public transportation options, and increased food costs. According to a report released in April, grocery prices rose by 8.8% during the last 12 months, impacting millions of families. So Kraft Heinz, Americold, and Feed the Children worked together to bring hope, love and nutritious food to families whose lives have been severely impacted during this unparalleled time. By collaborating, the organizations say they’ve been able to distribute food more quickly to those who need it.
It is estimated one in six children are food insecure due to the economic effects of the pandemic. That’s why Feed the Children works with public and private partners to help families gain access to the safe, healthy, and nutritious food they need. By working with a vast network of community partners, like Partners in Hope, Feed the Children provides food and essentials, support for educators, and disaster response to help children and their families achieve stable lives, while providing food and resources to help them today.
“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of food insecurity has risen in our service areas,” said Keith Sharp, president of Partners in Hope. “Receiving a donation such as this is such a blessing for our communities. Providing our low-income families with food has a dramatic impact on their lives. The benefits to their physical and mental health are incalculable.”
Atlanta-based Americold has a passion for defeating hunger. Playing an integral role in the food supply chain, Americold owns and operates 250 temperature-controlled warehouses around the world, with approximately 1.5 billion cubic feet of storage. Its facilities connect food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to consumers, ensuring that food is preserved and protected on its journey from farm to fork.
“Our partnership with Feed the Children is incredibly meaningful because it is one way that we show our commitment to fighting hunger,” said George Chappelle, CEO of Americold. “We’re proud of the unique ways we are able to support their efforts to provide for families experiencing food insecurity. By sharing our supply-chain expertise and donating temperature-controlled transportation, we are reducing the time it takes to get food to those who need it.
“While families across the country face ongoing challenges related to COVID-19 and disasters, we remain committed to supporting the communities where our associates live and work in any way we can.”
Americold has been a partner of Feed the Children for more than five years. During its partnership, Americold has donated critical funds, and travelled “hundreds of thousands” of miles providing complimentary temperature-controlled transportation services of chilled and frozen goods that have helped feed families across America. The organization also provides volunteer opportunities for their associates at Feed the Children community events.
“Kraft Heinz is committed to providing nutritious meals to those in need—and, as a company, aspires to deliver 1.5 billion meals to those in need around the world by 2025,” said Rashida La Lande, global general counsel and chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer of Kraft Heinz. “We’ve seen unparalleled suffering during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and we are grateful for partners like Feed the Children who continue to help meet the needs of families and communities across the United States.”
Kraft Heinz and its predecessors have been a valued partner of Feed the Children for many years, the organization said. Through this partnership, Kraft Heinz has donated food and committed to supporting hunger relief efforts across the nation by providing critical resources to those who need it most.
“The Americold and Kraft Heinz partnership means so very much to Feed the Children, and more importantly, to the families we serve,” said Travis Arnold, president and CEO of Feed the Children. “Those living paycheck-to-paycheck do not have a safety net. Our partners are a critical part of providing compassionate support to those who are facing tough decisions about how to care for their families.”
