Alameda County Community Food Bank

Press Releases:

Contact: Judyth Collin
(510) 636-4902

“Idol Gives Back” Fights Child Hunger
at Alameda County Community Food Bank

05 Wednesday 2008 -- (Oakland, CA) The Alameda County Community Food Bank has received a $19,000 grant from the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) “Idol Gives Back” campaign to combat child hunger in Alameda County. Through the Children’s Backpack program, the Food Bank currently distributes food to 1,000 low-income elementary students at eight different public schools in Oakland, Berkeley and Livermore. The grant will allow the Food Bank to expand distribution to two new sites.

CPEF was established to raise awareness of poverty across the United States and throughout the world. With this mission, CPEF teamed up with FOX and “AMERICAN IDOL” to present “IDOL GIVES BACK,” which aired on FOX in April 2007. “IDOL GIVES BACK” was a two-night special which raised awareness and funds for organizations that focus on providing resources for young people in extreme poverty in the U.S. and Africa.

The Food Bank received the grant as a result of its membership in America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network. America’s Second Harvest was chosen as one of four domestic charities that received funds which were raised through “IDOL GIVES BACK”. America’s Second Harvest is the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, providing food and grocery products to more than 25 million Americans each year through a Network of more than 200 food banks and 50,000 agencies including soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters and feeding programs for both children and seniors.

“We are extremely grateful for this donation that will help us feed hungry children,” said Suzan Bateson, Food Bank executive director. “One in three children living in Alameda County faces the threat of hunger -- this grant will ensure that more children have access to nutritious food over the weekend when school meal programs are not available.”

Currently 22,000 Alameda County children are dependent upon school-subsidized breakfast and lunch. The Children’s Backpack program was created to nourish low-income children who rely on school meals and are at greater risk of hunger during weekends. Most emergency food distribution centers are open only during regular business hours, making them difficult to access for working-poor families. Bags are distributed at the school sites at the end of the week and include high-quality food items such as milk in aseptic containers, cereal, tuna, energy bars, peanut butter, beef jerky and fresh fruit.