Second Harvest Food Bank and Project Access Team Up for BackPack Program to Feed Children

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July XX, 2012 – Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Project Access are pleased to announce that the organizations’ annual BackPack Program to feed children has been expanded this summer to double its reach to 288 children.

Second Harvest Food Bank provides backpacks filled with nutritious food and Project Access distributes them in seven facilities located in low-income communities in Orange County. The backpacks are refilled weekly.

In January 2010, the two organizations began a pilot program to address child hunger on weekends during summer vacation when at-risk children no longer receive breakfasts and lunches provided by their schools. The need is great as 31 percent of adolescents in the United States between the ages 11 to 17 are obese, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The BackPack program bridges that food gap and ensures that kids will continue to eat nutritious meals by providing child-friendly food that is easy to open and requires little or no preparation.

A typical backpack might include oatmeal, juice, carrots, beef stew, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, a granola bar, and an apple. In addition to food, the backpacks include nutrition activity sheets for kids and a variety of informative materials for their parents or other caregivers.

“We are happy to have the children living in communities that have our resource centers benefit from this important program that is so helpful to their families during these tough economic times when many are struggling with unemployment and other financial challenges,” said CEO Kristin Byrnes.

Project Access is the leading provider of vital health, education and employment services to families, children and seniors living in low-income housing communities.

“By offering programs like this to their residents, Project Access is helping to decrease the risk of obesity and increase youths’ knowledge of healthy eating,” said Byrnes. “By donating just $25, you can help Project Access continue to offer these and other critical health services to their residents.”

To donate directly to Project Access, please visit http://www.project- access.org/spread-the-joy/ or call (949) 253-6200. For more information, contact Rachel Sanchez, marketing director, at 949.253.6200, ext.305 or via email at rsanchez@project-access.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank asks the public to help the organization create a hunger-free summer for at-risk children by sponsoring a Summer BackPack for only $30. A contribution of $90 will help feed a child all summer long. To donate, visit www.feedoc.org and click on donate.

LINK TO PRESS RELEASE DOCUMENT.