PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA) and Feed the Children are today marking the 30th anniversary of their collaboration to tackle childhood hunger and support 3.2 million US households facing food insecurity.
Since 1994, PFNA has contributed over $85 million in monetary and in-kind donations, serving more than 30 communities nationwide by offering food, essentials, and educational supplies to those in need.
At the heart of their shared commitment is the Food & Essentials Hubs initiative, a pioneering programme that has transformed access to resources in underserved areas. Initially launched as a pilot project in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hubs are now a nationwide programme providing shelf-stable food, hygiene products, household goods, and educational materials to Title I schools – those that receive federal funding to support students from low-income families – across the country.
To date, the initiative has reached over 123,000 students and their families, helping to alleviate food insecurity while also reducing the stigma often associated with receiving aid.
The hubs were introduced to address the rising levels of food insecurity exacerbated by the pandemic, which saw food insecurity rates soar to 13.6 percent and food pantry usage increase across most US households. With PFNA’s vast resources as a global food leader, the programme has become a scalable solution to meet the ongoing needs of communities across the nation.
Making a clear impact
In Detroit, one of the initiative’s key locations, a distribution event is set to take place today, benefiting 400 students and their families from the Detroit Public Schools Community District. PepsiCo employees have played a critical role in supporting these efforts, volunteering over 36,000 hours to assist in the distribution of essential items.
Reflecting on the initiative’s impact, Kenneth Wright, Sales Director at Frito-Lay and a Detroit Public Schools alumnus, expressed pride in his company’s work.
“It makes me proud to work for a company that allows me to give back to my community. I’m incredibly passionate about this annual effort to give back to Detroit students in need because I lived it,” he said. “Too many communities lack a sense of community – the support for each other to thrive – and I see how this partnership helps fill the gaps to ensure students have a more successful tomorrow than they did today.”
The success of the Food & Essentials Hubs has led to its expansion across the country, with 370 schools in major cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Orlando benefiting from the initiative this year.
The hubs have significantly impacted the lives of students in the participating schools, with 87.5 percent of the districts citing improved attendance and increased self-confidence among students.
“Hunger and food insecurity are often invisible,” said Travis Arnold, CEO of Feed the Children. “We rarely know what someone else is going through. Through our 30-year partnership with PFNA, we’ve been able to impact the lives of thousands of children and families.”
He added, “Feed the Children is thankful for this partnership and eager to see what the future holds as we work together to tackle the important issue of childhood hunger in communities across the country.”
