Dole companies partner to fight childhood hunger

Dole Food Co. and Dole Packaged Foods have joined forces to partner with No Kid Hungry, a campaign to end childhood hunger in America.

Fresh produce supplier Dole Food and Dole Packaged Foods (canned/frozen fruit) will make donations in selected cities, provide nutrition education and sponsor retail initiatives to help children have access to three healthy meals a day, according to a news release.

“With school meals programs closed for the summer and millions of Americans struggling to afford food for their children, the work that the No Kid Hungry campaign does to provide meals to children in need is even more pressing,” Tom Nelson, president and CEO of nonprofit group Share Our Strength, said in the release. Share Our Strength runs the No Kid Hungry Campaign.

“We are proud to partner with companies like Dole with the resources, reach and retailer relationships that can help No Kid Hungry remove the obstacles to getting kids the nutritious meals they need — both during this crisis and every day.”

Under terms of the partnership, which started July 1, Charlotte, N.C.-based Dole Food Co. and Westlake Village, Calif.-based Dole Packaged Foods are providing assistance to No Kid Hungry in three areas, according to the release:

• Beginning in August, the two Dole companies will work with No Kid Hungry to provide donations of Dole fresh fruits and vegetables, and shelf-stable/frozen/dried fruit, and juice to summer meals sites.
• Dole will create kid-friendly recipes, games and activities for the No Kid Hungry Cooking Matters program, which seeks to help families stretch their food budgets so they can cook healthy meals.
• Dole will work with retailers to host in-store new year promotions to generate awareness of childhood hunger in the U.S.

“The No Kid Hungry campaign has a mission similar to the pledge that all Dole companies have committed themselves to for more than 150 years: nutritious food is the bridge to healthier, happier lives and stronger more inclusive communities,” Bil Goldfield, Dole Food’s director of corporate communications, said in the release. “Produce is the key to this and we believe that everyone should have access. The COVID-19 crisis has amplified both the needs to support communities and to stay healthy.”
 

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