OREANDA-NEWS. June 02, 2015. IKEA announced today that it is collaborating again with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, to sponsor an in-store program ‘Feeding the Future’ that runs June 1 - 30 to support local Feeding America food banks.

The ‘Feeding the Future’ IKEA US program will donate \\$1 to local Feeding America food banks for every healthy kids meal purchased in any IKEA US restaurant. Additionally, IKEA customers can add \\$1 donations at all IKEA store registers at cash lanes, customer restaurants, IKEA Bistros and Swedish Food markets. Added donations will go to Feeding America and its network of food banks.* The three healthy kids meals in the ‘Feeding the Future’ program include:

  1. Organic penne pasta with organic marinara sauce
  2. Grilled chicken with carrot sticks, strawberries and string cheese
  3. Veggie meatballs with vegetables
(All healthy kids’ meals come with lingonberry, elderflower juice drink or a bottle of water.)

“There are 49 million people in America who struggle with hunger, including 12 million children. This is an issue that impacts every single county in the country” said Nancy Curby, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “With IKEA’s commitment, our food banks will be able to better serve children and families who may not know where there next meal will come from.”

“Our ‘Feeding the Future’ program, in collaboration with Feeding America, is a way for IKEA US to support our local communities as well as Feeding America’s hunger programs. IKEA is committed to healthy eating and working along with Feeding America helps to support those in need, while also giving our customers the opportunity to support their local food banks,” commented Gerd Diewald, IKEA US Food Manager.

Feeding America Food Bank Network

The process of getting food to hungry Americans requires a dynamic infrastructure and sophisticated management. Feeding America secures donations from national food and grocery manufacturers, retailers, shippers, packers and growers - and from government agencies and other organizations. Feeding America then moves donated food and grocery product to member food banks.

The food banks in turn distribute food and grocery items through food pantries and meal programs that serve families, children, seniors and others at risk of hunger. Last year alone, the Feeding America network distributed more than 3 billion meals to people in need.

The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks also supports programs that improve food security among the people served; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

Hunger Facts

  • In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 6 people in the United States, hunger is a very real struggle. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.
  • Right now, millions of Americans are at risk of hunger. These are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot always make ends meet and may be forced to go without food.
  • Research has shown that food insecurity and hunger are serious threats to children’s health, growth and development. The nation’s economic growth depends on the well-being of our children. As such, the existence of childhood hunger in the United States threatens future American prosperity.
  • In the United States, more than one out of five children lives in a household with food insecurity, which means they do not always know where they will find their next meal. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2013, 15.8 million children under 18 in the United States live in this condition – unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy life.
*IKEA donation up to a maximum of \\$50,000 not including direct customer contributions.