Kellogg Co. Donates Funds, Food for Disaster Preparedness and Response

Feeding America announced that Kellogg's Corporate Citizenship Fund, the charitable arm of Kellogg Co., granted $350,000 to support its nationwide network of food banks disaster relief preparedness and response efforts. Kellogg Co. also donated 24 truckloads of food to help with disaster relief for victims of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and the Midwest floods earlier this year.

"Natural disasters devastate entire communities," said Celeste Clark, Kellogg Co. senior vice president of global nutrition and corporate affairs, and Kellogg's corporate citizenship fund president. "Kellogg is proud to partner with Feeding America to provide financial and in-kind assistance to help people in these communities rebuild their lives."

Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) supports disaster relief and recovery in communities by distributing food and grocery products through a network of 205 food banks that serve more than 63,000 local charitable agencies. Feeding America provides food to approximately four million Americans each week. Over the past few years, Feeding America has developed extensive disaster relief capabilities, including training national disaster teams to support food banks nationwide.

Vicki Escarra, Feeding America president and CEO, said, "Knowing that disasters can strike anytime and anywhere, Feeding America has developed a strategic plan of action to respond to disasters. Our infrastructure for distribution of food and relationships throughout our network of food banks make us uniquely prepared to respond quickly when tragedy strikes. We are extremely grateful to Kellogg Co. as we would not be able to sustain a comprehensive disaster relief program without generous grants like this."

Working in cooperation with local organizations and federal, state and local emergency management agencies, Feeding America serves impacted communities when disaster strikes by:

• Supplying food, water, hygiene and household products to impacted areas in cooperation with federal, state and local agencies;
• Identifying and soliciting donors who can provide additional funds, goods, transportation and services during immediate and long-term recovery;
• Securing additional and temporary warehouses;
• Deploying network and national office staff and volunteers to facilities in impacted areas to assist local food banks and food-rescue organizations;
• Establishing Joint Field Offices in cities near disaster zones;
• Providing training materials for our network of 205 food banks on how to best respond when a disaster strikes;
• Lobbying for emergency legislation that benefits relief and recovery efforts; and
• Coordinating technical computer and communication assistance for facilities in impacted areas.

In 2005, Feeding America launched an enormous effort after Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita battered the Gulf Coast. More than 6.5 million people sought emergency food assistance from the Feeding America network; more than 4 million of those individuals had to rely on a food bank for the first time.

Feeding America currently has trained disaster relief workers on the ground through the Texas Gulf coast assessing needs, moving emergency food, water and supplies as fast as they can. Feeding America estimates that it will need at least $7 million for these recovery efforts.

For more information, or to help victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, please visit http://www.feedingamerica.org