DALLAS, TEXAS, April 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank received a $15,000 grant from Hunger Is to help solve childhood hunger in their community. The North Texas Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America network of food banks, was nominated by the managers of 15 local Tom Thumb stores to receive this grant, which was made possible by customers who contributed generously during a month-long, in-store fundraiser. Hunger Is, the joint charitable program of The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) featuring Academy Award®-nominated actress and Hunger Is Ambassador Viola Davis, raised more than $4.6 million from in-store and online contributions, to support eradicating childhood hunger in the United States.
 

Hunger Is allowed the local stores to identify an organization to receive the grant to help make a difference in their own community. The $15,000 Hunger Is grant will support local child hunger-relief efforts, including supporting NTFB's child hunger programs Food 4 Kids and the School Pantry Program.

"We're very grateful to receive this Hunger Is grant, as well as the recognition from local Tom Thumb stores, for our commitment to hunger relief," said Jan Pruitt, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. "It's so important for children to have enough food, their success depends on it. This grant will most certainly make a difference in the lives of hungry kids across North Texas. We thank everyone who donated to the campaign because together, we are solving hunger."

To learn more about the Hunger Is campaign, visit HungerIs.org. For ways to get involved in hunger-relief efforts locally, visit ntfb.org.

About the North Texas Food Bank

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked nonprofit relief organization, and the largest North Texas charity. Each day, the North Texas Food Bank provides access to 170,000 meals for hungry children, seniors and families through a network of more than 1,000 programs and 262 Partner Agencies. In fiscal year 2014, NTFB provided access to some 62 million meals. NTFB recently has announced a 10-year vision to eliminate the hunger gap in its 13-county service area. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, a national hunger relief organization.

About Hunger Is

Hunger Is, a joint charitable program of The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), is designed to build awareness and raise funds in an effort to eradicate childhood hunger in America. Funds raised through Hunger Is directly benefit programs focused on combating childhood hunger and improving health-related outcomes.

Through theHunger Is Advisory Committee (HIAC), Hunger Is works together with the leading hunger organizations including Drexel University, Center for Hunger-Free Communities; Feeding America; Food Research and Action Center (FRAC); New York City Coalition Against Hunger; Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign; and WhyHunger. The HIAC provides guidance in defining and addressing needs and makes funding recommendations for approval by The Safeway Foundation and EIF Boards of Directors.

For more information, visit www.HungerIs.org.

About The Safeway Foundation

Founded in 2001, The Safeway Foundation supports causes that impact our customers' lives. Safeway stores provide the opportunity to mobilize funding and create awareness in our neighborhoods through the generous contributions by our customers, our employees' passion and partnerships with our vendors. We focus on giving locally in the areas of health and human services, hunger relief, education and helping people with disabilities. Safeway Inc. and The Safeway Foundation have invested $1 billion in our neighborhoods since 2001. For more information about The Safeway Foundation, visit www.safewayfoundation.org.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.