Summer of a Million Meals Raises 2.3M Meals
During the summer, thousands of Arizona kids and families worry about where their next meals will come from. To assist families in need, United Food Bank hosted its sixth annual Summer of a Million Meals fundraiser campaign this past summer in partnership with 12News. The campaign ran from May 29 through Sept. 4 and raised over two million meals.
“The Summer of a Million Meals campaign is one of our most important fundraisers, and we were thrilled to continue our efforts with 12News,” said Jason Reed, president and CEO of United Food Bank. “Food insecurity is a year-round problem in Arizona, but the need increases over the summer months with children on break from school. We appreciate every cent the Arizona community donated to help us provide families with access to the meals they needed this past summer.”
Throughout the summer, United Food Bank hosted three giving telethons with local celebrity guests. Arizonans could call and make donations through the telethon events, online at azmillionmeals.org or any Fry’s Food Stores or Meineke Car Care Center. In addition, 185 volunteers from local businesses donated their time to build 7,650 emergency food bags at the telethon events.
“12News is committed to making a positive impact on our community,” said 12News president and general manager Kate Morris. “For five years, we’ve been a proud partner of United Food Bank and the Summer of a Million Meals. With the help of our partners and our generous viewers, we truly came together as neighbors to create a summer of abundance for all.”
For more behind this Frontdoor, visit unitedfoodbank.org.
Karen Werner is the editor of Frontdoors Media. She is a writer, editor and media consultant. She has interned at The New Yorker, worked at Parents Magazine, edited five books and founded several local magazines. Her work has appeared in Sunset, Mental Floss and the Saturday Evening Post.
