Mars, No Kid Hungry donate over 940,000 meals for needy people this summer

11 / 08 / 2024

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Mars has partnered with No Kid Hungry this summer to donate over 940,000 meals of its Ben’s Original product to organizations across the U.S., providing food to those who need it most, starting first with donating more than 90,000 pouches of its ready-to-heat rice products to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the city’s largest food bank.

“We are proud to partner with No Kid Hungry and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to support our local community and provide food to those who need it most,” said Kristen Campos, VP Corporate Affairs, Mars Food & Nutrition North America.

Feeding children during summer can be a challenge for many families when access to school meals is limited. According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, 25 percent of families with children are food insecure in the Chicago metro area. During the summer months, children who rely on school meals are at risk of going without food.

“One in 5 kids live with hunger in the United States. And for children who rely on free or reduced meals at school, summer can be the hungriest time of year,” said Chuck Scofield, Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships at No Kid Hungry. “We couldn’t do our work without the support of partners like Ben’s Original and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.”

The Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 800 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other programs working to bring food and support to our neighbors across the city and Cook County.

“We appreciate the partnership of Ben’s Original and No Kid Hungry in providing nutritious food for our neighbors in need,” said Jim Conwell, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “This donation will help us ensure that children and families across Chicago have access to healthy meals this summer and beyond.”