SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 ISSUE
Hunger & Health Coalition and Boone Weight Watchers Team Up To Fight Hunger
Beginning this week, Weight Watchers in Boone will encourage members to denote their weight loss success by making a donation of non-perishable food to the Hunger & Health Coalition’s (HHC) Food Pantry program. Weight Watchers will collect food from their members as well as from anyone in the community interested in making a donation.
Weight Watchers is kicking off its 2nd annual Lose For Good campaign, created to raise awareness about two global epidemics—obesity and hunger. Between now and October 17, as Weight Watchers members and online subscribers lose weight, the company will donate up to $1 million to two hunger fighting organizations—Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. Last year, the campaign benefited more than 250,000 children and families domestically and actually represented the difference between life and death for more than 6,000 malnourished children abroad.
“There is no reason that we should live in a world where children go to bed hungry and a child dies every six seconds from causes related to malnutrition,” says David Kirchhoff, president and CEO of Weight Watchers International, Inc. “I am proud that our company and our members have embraced Lose For Good and have been inspired and motivated to take control of their personal health goals, while at the same time contributing to the well-being of those in their community and around the world.”
According to HHC Executive Director Compton Fortuna, this food drive comes at a critical time for HHC. Donations of food items have decreased, forcing the HHC to purchase a larger amount of food for distribution. With the number of local families seeking food assistance on the rise, the HHC desperately needs the food collected in community food drives so that they can continue to give food to families in need.
The Hunger & Health Coalition operates five food assistance programs which offer an array of services to people in need. Food collected from community food drives is used in the Food Pantry program. The Food Pantry provides a 50- to 60-pound package of food and other items. Both perishable and non-perishable foods are provided with the Pantry Package. Families with children can receive Pantry Packages twice per month; households without children can receive the Pantry Package once per month.
Fortuna reports that the amount of families seeking help has increased by around 25 percent and that the number of families seeking help for the first time has increased as well. Both statistics reflect the national economic recession that has impacted families on a local level.
Donations can be dropped off at the Weight Watchers office located at the Greenway Business Park in Boone. Meetings are held at Greenway Business Park in Boone on Mondays at 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. For more information, click to www.weightwatchers.com/loseforgood or call 828-262-1628.
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