Sodexo's 'Feeding Our Future®' Program Provides 13,000 Summer Lunches to Atlanta Children

/PRNewswire/ -- Leveraging a $20,000 "Feeding Our Future®" grant from the Sodexo Foundation, the Sodexo account at UPS Headquarters and The Coca-Cola Company celebrated serving 13,000 free lunches to Atlanta's children. Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young acknowledged volunteers for their efforts during a special barbeque held for city youth yesterday at the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA. Sodexo's Feeding Our Future program provides school children who rely on free and reduced-price meals during the academic year with nutritious lunches during the summer break.

"With nearly one in four children living in households that find it increasingly difficult to put food on the table, there are bound to be additional challenges when the school doors close for the summer," said Stephen J. Brady, president of the Sodexo Foundation. "As the leading food service provider to public schools throughout this country, we understand the needs that exist and we are determined to make a positive impact that leads to the elimination of hunger in this country."

Every day, an estimated 17 million U.S. children rely on school breakfast and lunch programs as their only guaranteed meals. When schools shut down for the summer, federal meal programs feed only about three million, leaving 13 million children at risk for hunger. To help bridge this gap, the Sodexo Foundation, the independent charitable organization of Sodexo, Inc., has provided free lunches to children through its summer feeding program, Feeding Our Future, since 1997. The Sodexo Foundation provides grants to local Sodexo accounts to purchase food for the meals and local Sodexo employees prepare the meals each day.

In addition to Atlanta, Feeding Our Future will be providing more than 300,000 summer lunches in 19 other cities in the United States: Boston, Mass., Buffalo, N.Y., Camden, N.J., Chattanooga, Tenn., Chicago, Ill., Denver, Colo., Detroit, Mich., Fort Worth, Texas, Honolulu, Hawaii, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif., Miami, Fla., New York, N.Y., Oklahoma City, Okla., San Jose, Calif., St. Cloud, Minn., St. Louis, Mo., Terre Haute, Ind. and Washington, D.C.

Feeding Our Future is a program of the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization supporting hunger-related initiatives that focus on eliminating the root causes of hunger in the U.S. Sodexo pays all administrative costs of the Foundation to ensure that all money raised is directed to those in need.

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Volunteer and Support a Family Fun Day at the Fayette County YMCA

Opportunity to Raise Money for Your Non-Profit

The Community Literacy Project, a youth community service team sponsored by the Association of Village PRIDE, Inc., is having a Family Fun Day at the Fayette Family YMCA on July 25 from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. The youth team is raising money to help build and equip a library in Nigeria.

Food vendors are needed. Any non-profit interested in setting up a vending booth should call the project coordinator at 678-346-0953 or Dawn Oparah at 770-716-9206 or visit the website, www.communityliteracyproject.com, and complete a volunteer form with your information or send an email of interest to community.literacyproject@gmail.com .

There is no cost for setting up the vending booth but the youth group would appreciate a donation from the profits for the day toward their project.

Ways to Volunteer and Support the Project:

Volunteers needed to help staff the day. Activities that will take place are:

· Field Games
· Swimming
· Canoeing
· Moonwalk Jumping
· Face Painting
· Balloons
· Nature Walks
· Toddler fun area
· Indoor Board games
· Entertainment
· Demonstrations in: Acting, Belly Dancing, Step Dancing, and more

Additional Human Resources needed

· Food vendors
· Community Organizations who want to set up booths to share information
· Help in getting the word out in the community about the Family Fun Day
· People with family friendly talent willing to showcase their talent
· Dance Demonstrations
· Praise and Worship Demonstrations (Mimes, Dance ministries, clowns
· A magician
· A caricature artist
· Someone to make balloons into different shapes for kids

Some physical needs

· Baby wading pools
· More Face-painters and face-paint
· A sound system
· Karaoke Machine

If you can help in anyway please let us know or if you need more information about the project please the website or call.

YMCA re: Bethel Park / Lake Lanier in Forsyth County

Our Metro YMCA Association has a huge opportunity to serve thousands of children and familes with an over night camp at Bethel Park/Lake Lanier in Forsyth. Currently our over night camp has a waiting list and many children are missing amazing experiences. The property to be developed is the Corps of Engineers.

The Corps of Engineers has opened a public comment period. After the period, it will decide to lease the property to the Y for the camp development or to Forsyth County for development of a 75 spot RV park. Additional information on the precise plan can be explored at www.friendsofymca.org .

The YMCA has a long history of delivering quality, mission driven inclusive programs. Remember your own Y experience and build upon that for thousands of children whom the Y impacts on an annual basis.

We need your help:
It only takes a few moments to make comments. Comments in support of the YMCA proposal can be submitted at the end of this E-Blast or you may go to the Corps website at: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/pd/pd1.htm

Letters supporting the Metro Atlanta YMCA's proposal are welcome and needed. They may be forwarded to me by Feb.11. Fayette Family YMCA, 215 Huiet Road, Fayetteville, GA, 30215.

Your local YMCA Board, volunteers, members, and staff thank you for your assistance. We appreciate all each of you do throughout our community.