Kraft Foods' National Sponsorship of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Honors King's Legacy and Mobilizes Volunteers
NORTHFIELD, Ill., Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Kraft Foods is celebrating King's legacy of volunteerism.
On the eve of the holiday, Kraft Foods will unite with the Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., for America's Sunday Supper. The first-time event will bring together panelists from around the country to celebrate King's passion for service and to share volunteer experiences and insights, opening a public dialogue of how to turn the conversation into action. The event will be streamed live starting at 6 p.m. EST Sunday, Jan. 16, at http://www.handsonnetwork.org/events/mlk2011/live.
"Volunteerism is a fundamental piece of who we are at Kraft Foods, so celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a natural tie-in for us," said Nicole Robinson, Vice President of the Kraft Foods Foundation, who will attend America's Sunday Supper in Washington, D.C. "We are proud to support our partners at HandsOn Network for the 25th anniversary of this significant holiday to honor Dr. King and celebrate his passion for giving back and making our communities better, together."
In addition, Kraft Foods employees in Chicago, East Hanover, N.J., Tarrytown, N.Y., and Madison, Wis., will come together to donate their time over the holiday weekend at a variety of volunteer events in their communities. These will focus on serving schools, seniors, children and adults with special needs, as well as fighting hunger and encouraging healthy lifestyles. A complete list of MLK Day of Service events is available on the HandsOn web site.
The Kraft Foods Foundation will also match employee cash donations in honor of the MLK holiday, up to $250,000, resulting in a net $750,000 to various nonprofit organizations.
Panelists attending America's Sunday Supper include Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in chief of The Huffington Post; Olympian Carl Lewis; and former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo. Moderating the panel will be Juan Williams, Fox News national political correspondent and author.
But the Supper isn't limited to the nation's capital. People across the country are encouraged to take inspiration from King by hosting their own Sunday Supper this weekend to unite neighbors, co-workers and friends from diverse backgrounds to talk about issues critical to their own communities.
These local Suppers can also serve as viewing parties of America's Sunday Supper. Viewers of the live broadcast can engage during the broadcast by submitting questions and sharing commentary through social media channels, including on Facebook and Twitter, using hash tag #MLK2011 or @HandsOnNetwork.
About Kraft Foods
The company and the Kraft Foods Foundation have donated nearly $1 billion in cash and food to hunger-relief organizations over the past 25 years. In October 2010, Kraft Foods celebrated the largest employee volunteer event in company history during the annual Delicious Difference Week, which rallied 23,000 employees across 56 countries. Through support of partners, including Save the Children, Feeding America, INMED Partnerships for Children, Charities Aid Federation and CARE, the company and Foundation support programs in 46 countries and on almost every continent.
Kraft Foods is building a global snacks powerhouse and an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. With annual revenues of approximately $48 billion, the company is the world's second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in approximately 170 countries. The portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion - Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Approximately 70 brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million. Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.
-- make today delicious --
SOURCE: Kraft Foods