Press Releases

 Mayor’s Office of Communications
55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 2500 • Atlanta, Georgia 30303

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/15/2014

News Release

Mayor Kasim Reed Awards Arby’s Foundation Phoenix Award for ‘School’s Out, Food’s In’ Childhood Hunger Relief Efforts 

Atlanta-area Arby’s Restaurants will donate 10 percent of sales from May 16 to the City’s Centers of Hope summer meals program

ATLANTA – Mayor Kasim Reed presented a Phoenix Award to the Arby’s Foundation, the charitable arm of Arby’s Restaurant Group Inc. (ARG), for their efforts to help end childhood hunger in Georgia and throughout the U.S. with their “School’s Out, Food’s In” partnership with Share Our Strength. In support of this youth-related cause, Arby’s and the Arby’s Foundation are inviting Atlanta-area residents to visit their nearest Arby’s restaurant on May 16, when 10 percent of all proceeds will be donated to Mayor Reed’s Centers of Hope summer meals program.

"I'm so pleased that the Arby's Foundation has kicked off their national pilot program for ‘School's Out, Food's In’ right here in Atlanta," said Mayor Kasim Reed. "’This generous contribution to our Centers of Hope summer meals program will help to support the alleviation of childhood hunger, particularly during the vulnerable summer months."

Free summer meal programs are critical to help meet the nutritional needs of kids at risk of hunger during the months when school is not open. The Arby’s Foundation also announced during the kick-off of this year’s “Hungry for Happiness” mobile tour that they will be providing all APS students in grades pre-K through five with punch cards redeemable for 10 wholesome kids’ meals this summer. The cards will also provide families in need of assistance during this time of year, a texting program with Share Our Strength’s “No Kid Hungry” campaign, which connects people to local summer meal sites through their mobile phones.

“Children can’t be their best without proper nourishment,” said Paul Brown, CEO of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. “And summer is a particularly challenging time when access to food is even more difficult as schools are closed. We want to help alleviate that problem. We’re pleased to work with Mayor Reed and help test programs in our own backyard that will provide the children of Atlanta with access to nutritious meals this summer and potentially help solve a very serious challenge for our youth nationwide.”

Within the 33 recreation centers, the City of Atlanta has created 10 Centers of Hope, high-performing recreation centers with enhanced youth development programming. Those recreation centers are: Adams, Adamsville, Bessie Branham, Grove Park, Peachtree Hills, Ben Hill, MLK, Rosel Fann, Pittman, and Thomasville. These 10 centers were chosen based on geographic and demographic criteria. More than 90 percent of young people in the city live within 2.5 miles of a Center of Hope or the Chastain Arts Center.

As part of daily programming, the Centers of Hope serve healthy snacks and hot meals to hundreds of the city’s most vulnerable youth. For a 180-day school year, more than 140,000 meals and snacks will be served to over 800 students participating in the program.

About the Arby’s Foundation, Inc.
The Arby’s Foundation, whose mission is to end childhood hunger in America, is the charitable arm of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. Building on a philanthropic heritage that has contributed more than $57 million to child-related causes since its inception in 1986, the Arby’s Foundation has launched a bold new movement to educate, mobilize and empower Americans with the knowledge and resources needed to ensure food security for every single child. With more than 16.7 million U.S. children—more than 1 in 5—facing hunger daily, the Arby’s Foundation has devoted its resources to providing education and access to wholesome food choices for children across the country. The Arby’s Foundation is a registered 501 (c) (3) organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more, visit www.arbysfoundation.org.

About Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign
No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters. This work is accomplished through the No Kid Hungry network, made up of private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit http://www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta. Follow Mayor Reed on Facebook and Twitter @Kasim Reed