FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2012
CONTACT
Hillary John or Jim Dau, (202) 434-2560
Steve Hahn, (919) 508-0271
UPDATE: Drive to End Hunger Charlotte 1 Million Announces New Stars, Events
Richard Petty, Miss Sprint Cup to help in volunteer-driven effort to donate 1 million meals to hungry older North Carolinians
WASHINGTON, DC – AARP Foundation today announced new event information as part of the Drive to End Hunger Charlotte 1 Million, a series of volunteer events in North Carolina from May 22-25 that will package and donate one million meals to help older North Carolinians who struggle to put food on the table.
The centerpiece of the Charlotte 1 Million will be a two-day packaging event at the Charlotte Convention Center on May 24 - 25, where up to 3,000 volunteers can join in to help feed hungry older Americans alongside celebrities and NASCAR stars like four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, tennis legend Martina Navratilova and award-winning sports broadcaster James “JB” Brown. Volunteers are still needed and are encouraged to visit www.DriveToEndHunger.org/meals to learn more and sign up for one of the many volunteer shifts.
The new additions to the Charlotte 1 Million program include:
Richard Petty, Smithfield, UFCW to Join United Healthcare at Meal Packaging Event in Greensboro on May 22.
United Healthcare, a proud sponsor of the Drive to End Hunger Charlotte 1 Million, will host a meal packaging event at its Greensboro office on May 22. Nearly 250 employees will package 50,000 meals for older North Carolinians as part of the company’s “Do Good. Live Well.” initiative. NASCAR legend Richard Petty will appear at the event as the Smithfield “Ham Brigade” unloads a truck of donated pork products. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and Smithfield are donating two trucks total, or 60,000 pounds of food, to the Charlotte 1 Million effort as part of the “Helping Hungry Homes” initiative
Miss Sprint Cup to Participate in Charlotte 1 Million
Volunteers will have the opportunity to work alongside the ultimate NASCAR fan ambassador, Miss Sprint Cup, at the Charlotte 1 Million on May 24 - 25. Miss Sprint Cup will appear on two days of the meal packaging event, including the afternoon of Thursday, May 24, at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Charlotte 1 Million Made Possible Through Outreach, Inc.
AARP Foundation is working with Outreach, Inc. to package and donate one million meals to North Carolina food banks. Outreach is a non-profit 501(c)(3) located in Union, Iowa. It is the vision of philanthropic couple, Kathy and Floyd Hammer, who were deeply moved by famine they witnessed in Tanzania. Today, Outreach partners with schools, churches, civic and charitable organizations, and companies to organize and host meal packaging events. Since 2004, Outreach has packaged over 200 million nutritious meals at hundreds of locations with tens of thousands of volunteers – for the hungry and food insecure both abroad and here at home – earning it Charity Navigator's highest, four-star rating.
About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is the charitable affiliate of AARP. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org
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