FOOD for Lane County - Kraft Foods

FOOD for Lane County Receives $50,000 from Kraft Foods

EUGENE, Oregon (October 15, 2004 – FOOD for Lane County has received a $50,000 grant from Kraft Foods. The grant is part of Kraft’s Community Nutrition Program and will help FOOD for Lane County and three food pantries handle more nutritious fresh and frozen foods including meat, dairy, fresh produce, frozen foods and deli. The funds will be used toward the purchase of a refrigerated truck for FOOD for Lane County and refrigeration equipment for the Oakridge Food Box Agency and food box pantries operated by Catholic Community Services in Eugene and Springfield.

“We are very excited to receive this generous award from Kraft,” said FOOD for Lane County Executive Director Pat Farr. “Increasingly, the food we get is perishable, so the refrigerated truck will help us safely transport that food from our donors to the food bank and to our network of providers. In addition, three of our food pantries will be able to safely store more fresh and frozen food.”

Through a new food recovery program launched this fall called Fresh Alliance, local Fred Meyer and Albertsons stores are donating thousands of pounds of fresh and frozen food every week to FOOD for Lane County. “The Kraft grant will help us accommodate that increase,” said Farr. “It could not have come at a better time.” FOOD for Lane County is working to increasing the volume, variety and nutritional quality of food it distributes to Lane County families and individuals living on limited incomes. “If we can make more healthful foods available, then we can improve the nutritional choices for our clients,” said Farr.

Catholic Community Services, a member of the FOOD for Lane County network that distributes food boxes, is already benefiting from the Fresh Alliance program and looks forward to having the additional freezer capacity to safely store it. Meanwhile, the amount of perishable food that the Oakridge Food Box Agency is receiving has tripled over the past year.

“Our food recipients have been thanking us for the increase they have noticed since the Fresh Alliance program started,” said Joe Softich, food distribution manager for Catholic Community Services in Eugene and Springfield. “It gives us hope that our goal of providing solidly nutritious food boxes is more realistic than ever.”

FOOD for Lane County’s mission to eliminate hunger in our community by creating access to food. We accomplish this by soliciting, collecting, rescuing, growing and preparing food for distribution through a network of 100 member agencies and programs; through public awareness, education and community advocacy; and through programs geared toward improving the ability of low-income families, seniors and children and other challenged populations to obtain an adequate supply of wholesome, nutritious food.

Contacts:

Pat Farr, Executive Director, FOOD for Lane County
(541) 343-2822

Lynne Galia, Kraft Foods
(847) 646-4396