Feds Feed Families 2013 Campaign a Success

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http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=76358

Feds Feed Families 2013 Campaign a Success
Story Number: NNS130905-06Release Date: 9/5/2013 12:00:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexandra Snyder, Defense Media Activity-Navy

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- With schools beginning across the country, children once again have access to school nutrition programs. To help fill the need this summer when they didn't, the fifth-annual Feds Feed Families campaign collected over 900,000 pounds of non-perishables for distribution to food banks across the fleet.

"Feds Feed Families is a summer long food-drive to benefit the National Capital Area Charitable campaign program, where pounds of food and other non-perishable items are collected to support families across America," said Rama G. Latin, Department of the Navy Charitable Campaigns Administrator. "Without access to nutrition programs, children and families across the country may be at risk of hunger in the summer. At the same time, donations dip in the summer months as donors take a vacation or change their routines."

Since the program's inception, Navy and Marine personnel have placed boxes at collection points across bases worldwide, ensuring that all Department of the Navy staff and service members have the chance to donate, with chaplains collecting donations on board ships.

Nearly 75 percent of this year's donations came from Department of the Navy entities, surpassing last year's collection goal and helping more than 500 food charities in the Washington, D.C. area alone, said Dylan Menguy, coordinator, media and events for the Capital Area Food Bank.

"Feds Feed Families is one of our biggest food drives of the year," said Menguy. "It a way for us to help act as a stop-gap for the times when kids are being fed daily at school, at least for breakfast and lunch, and when those children have that vital source of food cut off during the summer months. Feds Feed Families helps us bridge that gap."

Although the campaign officially ended August 28, 20 percent or more of the child population in 40 states and Washington, D.C. will continue to live in food insecure households, and those still wanting to make a difference for them can bring their donations to their local chaplain's office who can distribute it to food banks and charities in the local area.

"The need to run this program is great; our generosity to run this campaign is greater," said Latin. "With this campaign, we are helping communities in every state and area around the fleet."