MIAMI – Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) has launched its 2008 World Campaign Against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of an initiative across the world in support of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies.
The project is carried out by the company and franchised restaurants –which together are known to be the largest restaurant company worldwide– and includes the fundraising from clients and employees of more than one thousand restaurants from KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in 35 markets of Latin America and the Caribbean.
To achieve the highest possible consumer participation, the 2008 World Campaign Against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean will be in place for the most of the month of October.
Each person living in these countries will have the opportunity to help make a difference in the fight against hunger by visiting their local participating restaurant and making a cash donation. Donations are also accepted on the Internet in the webpage www.fromhungertohope.com.
All funds raised for the World Food Programme as well as for other organizations during the 2008 World Campaign Against Hunger will go directly to the areas in most need, making a difference in the lives of those who are in most need.
Employees of Yum! Brands and franchisees will be volunteering their time around the globe at hunger relief agencies, food banks, soup kitchens and launching fundraisers. The Yum! Foundation also will be donating to the cause by covering the WFP’s administrative fee so that funds collected from customers and employees will go directly toward feeding people.
Any person who wants to contribute to the campaign against hunger in South America can make cash donations in Brazil (Pizza Hut and KFC), Chile (KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), Colombia (Pizza Hut and KFC), Ecuador (Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell), Guyana (KFC and Pizza Hut), Paraguay (Pizza Hut), Peru (KFC and Pizza Hut), Suriname (KFC and Pizza Hut) and Venezuela (KFC and Pizza Hut).
In Central America, customers can participate in the program in Costa Rica (KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), El Salvador (KFC and Pizza Hut), Guatemala (Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), Honduras (KFC and Pizza Hut), Nicaragua (Pizza Hut), and Panamá (KFC and Pizza Hut).
Participating markets and restaurants in the program in the Caribbean include: Aruba (KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), Antigua (KFC), Bahamas (KFC and Pizza Hut), Barbados (KFC), Bermuda (KFC), Bonaire (FKC), Curacao (KFC), Dominica (KFC), Dominican Republic (Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell), Grand Cayman (KFC and Pizza Hut), Grenada, WI (KFC), Guadalupe (KFC), Jamaica (KFC and Pizza Hut), Martinique (KFC), Puerto Rico (Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell), St. Kitts (KFC), St. Lucia (KFC), St. Maarten, N.A. (KFC, Pizza Hut), St. Vincent (KFC) and Trinidad & Tobago (Pizza Hut and KFC).
“Hunger is unacceptable. As a society, we should not and cannot tolerate the fact that 850 million people are starving and go to bed hungry every day. As the world’s largest restaurant company, we believe it is our privilege and responsibility to find a meaningful solution to this critical problem,” said David C. Novak, Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands.
Funds raised for WFP go directly to the areas of greatest need; feeding poor school children in the developing world and helping villages become self-sustainable. Every U.S. dollar raised during World Hunger Relief 2008 will provide 4 meals for hungry children all over the world.
During this year’s World Hunger Relief campaign, Yum! plans to generate the equivalent of nearly $50 million in awareness of the hunger issue through television and print advertising, public service announcements, public relations, web-based communications and in-restaurant posters and signage.
In addition, the company is leveraging the power of the internet to reach millions of people through the www.fromhungertohope.com website and other online activity.
Global hunger has reached epic proportions – reaching nearly 1 billion people – due to the convergence of higher commodity and global food prices; increased competition for products that produce energy; severe droughts and floods due to climate change and increasing demand from growing economies in Asia and South America.
“Yum! Brands is determined to be a leader in wiping out hunger. We are committed to raise awareness, volunteerism and money to address this problem. We hope to move millions of people from hunger to hope through our efforts,” said Novak.
In 2007, Yum! launched its first global effort (World Hunger Relief Week). The campaign was an overwhelming success, raising $16 million in one week for the WFP and other hunger relief agencies, and creating the world’s largest volunteer movement.
The funds directed to WFP fed 1.6 million hungry people throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. One million company and franchise employees mobilized around the globe generating 4 million volunteer hours in local communities and raising funds from the more than 115 million customers that visit its restaurants each week. The total value of monetary donations, food donations, awareness campaign and volunteer hours topped U.S. $187 million. Based on this initial success Yum! is extending its World Hunger Relief campaign beyond one week to nearly one month this year.
“Last year’s campaign allowed WFP the flexibility to direct the funds collected to its most pressing needs,” said Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme. “The impact was even greater because it came at a time when the high food price crisis was just beginning to affect the hungry people we serve.”
Yum! and its brands have been committed to fighting hunger for more than a decade by donating more than $46 million of prepared food annually to the underprivileged in the United States. Since the company went public in 1997, it has donated over $500 million of its food to hunger relief agencies in the U.S. The company also has been the primary sponsor of the Dare To Care Food Bank based in Louisville, Kentucky for eight years, and has donated $8 million to this local Agency.
