HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry are raising awareness of rising hunger across the U.S. with the “Hunger Hero” campaign.
The meal kit brand is tapping celebrated online chefs and dedicated hunger relief advocates, including Tini Younger, Eitan Bernath and Becca and Justin Schwartz, to serve as ambassadors of the campaign and raise awareness of childhood food insecurity during the summer months, inspiring others to join in the cause, according to a news release.
In the U.S., 1 in 5 kids face hunger. This staggering reality is only heightened during the summer months when kids are out of school and lose access to the dependable nutrition they get at school during the academic year. Impending cuts to SNAP and other critical programs, coupled with a looming crisis for food banks, threaten to make the issue even worse.
“Every day, millions of parents are forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying for everyday essentials like rent and utilities,” says Jeff Yorzyk, senior director of sustainability for HelloFresh. “Not only that, when kids don't have access to nutritious produce, they are missing out on essential vitamins and minerals that support healthy development — it's a barrier to learning, development and long-term opportunity. We think this is unacceptable, which is why we are doubling down on our efforts to help close the summer hunger gap by partnering with No Kid Hungry and enlisting ‘hunger heroes' like Tini, Eitan, Becca and Justin to bring more attention to this growing issue and inspire people to make a tangible impact. We look forward to spotlighting these inspiring hunger heroes during the summer months, and we hope our customers and community members will be inspired to action.”
Through a combination of social- and event-led initiatives, the Hunger Hero campaign will provide individuals with a call-to-action to help address childhood hunger in their communities, according to the release.
HelloFresh kicked off the program with a series of distribution events in New York City, Atlanta and Phoenix, where families can access free HelloFresh meal kits filled with nutritious, family-friendly recipes, along with vital resources on summer EBT, SNAP benefits and information on where to access support through No Kid Hungry, the release says.
Each event was joined by a notable “Hunger Hero,” an influencer, chef and or “foodie” who is actively committed to fighting food insecurity in their communities. Tini Younger, who volunteers in her backyard at Atlanta Mission; Eitan Bernath, a high-level supporter of the United Nations World Food Programme; and Becca and Justin Schwartz, who actively volunteer with Feed My Starving Children by hosting community volunteer events with their followers, will all serve as Hunger Heroes, providing assistance and awareness about the issue.
Beyond hosting these events, each Hunger Hero will call upon their followers to commit to fighting hunger — whether through donating to No Kid Hungry, volunteering at a local food bank or even simply raising awareness in their communities. For every like, share or comment on campaign-related posts, HelloFresh will donate to No Kid Hungry in support of their vital work feeding families year round up to $10,000 from June through August, the release says.
The meal kit brand will also run a social media campaign spotlighting everyday hunger heroes — including food bank leaders and educators — to spotlight the important work they do every day and inspire the brand's followers to join in the cause.
“From my time volunteering at Atlanta Mission, I've met many families trying their best, but struggling to put meals on the table,” says viral chef Tini Younger. “Fighting food insecurity is deeply important to me. Being a part of this campaign is not just about food. It's about dignity, joy and the chance for kids to be kids.”
“Every day, we're witnessing more families struggling with hunger — and during the summer months, the need becomes even more urgent,” says Adam Kalikow, senior vice president and managing director for HelloFresh U.S. “That's why we're doubling down on our efforts to help close the summer hunger gap. By partnering with some notable ‘hunger heroes' like Tini, Eitan, Becca and Justin, we're able to bring more attention to this growing issue while making a tangible impact. We invite everyone to get involved and look forward to spotlighting hunger heroes across the country — those stepping up and making a real difference in their communities.”
“We're incredibly thankful for the continued support from HelloFresh to combat childhood food insecurity,” says Allison Shuffield, managing director of corporate partnerships for No Kid Hungry. “At a time of increased need, the support from corporations like HelloFresh is that much more important to ensure children are not going hungry this summer.”
To learn more about how HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry fight childhood food insecurity and to join the Hunger Hero movement in the action, please visit hellofresh.com/pages/nokidhungry.