AS HUNGER RISES BY 35 PERCENT, 1,200 CHICAGOLAND KRAFT FOODS VOLUNTEERS ROLL UP SLEEVES FOR FIRST-EVER GLOBAL WEEK OF SERVICE
CHICAGO, October 6, 2009 — Forty volunteer projects. Six days. More than 1,200 Kraft Foods volunteers. What does that add up to? Thousands of lives touched throughout Chicagoland thanks to Kraft Foods' first-ever global "Make a Delicious Difference Week."
With more than 10,000 employees in 33 countries participating around the world, this special week of service (Oct. 5-10) will benefit roughly 500,000 people in need. The effort will mobilize six times the number of volunteers than in previous efforts and build on the company's commitment to fighting hunger and promoting healthy lifestyles.
"We may be best known for cooking up tasty products like Oreo cookies and Kraft Mac & Cheese, but this week is all about making a delicious difference in our communities," explained Dave Brearton, Executive Vice President, Operations and Business Services. "The volunteer spirit of our employees combined with the expertise of organizations, like the Greater Chicago Food Depository, is a winning recipe to help fight hunger. Knowing our efforts are an important ingredient in our first global week of service makes this experience even more powerful."
Activities will take place today, Thursday and Saturday across Chicagoland. Projects include:
* Packing and sorting donated food for that will be provided to hungry families at Chicago Christian Industrial League, the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD), Lakeview Pantry, The Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB), People's Resource Center and St. James Food Pantry
* Leading "Olympic" events for kids to promote healthy lifestyles at Austin YMCA, Casa Central, Chicago Commons Taylor Center and Chicago International Charter School
* Planting community gardens at Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp.
* Using the alphabet to teach children about good nutrition at the Chicago Children's Museum
* Painting a healthy eating mural in a cafeteria at CARC, an organization for people with disabilities
* Providing seasonal maintenance for a vegetable garden at Chicago Botanic Gardens