Families to receive food and essentials as part of Summer Food Distribution program

RESTON, Va., June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- StarKist Co., a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient proteins, partnered with Feed the Children and Cornerstones today to bring hunger relief to 400 families living along Northern Virginia's Dulles Corridor. 

The drive-thru event was held at St. John Neumann Catholic Community in Reston, VA. During the event, 400 families and seniors received a 25-pound box of shelf-stable food, including StarKist products; a 15-pound box of hygiene essentials such as shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and personal-care items; a box of Avon products; Disney storybooks and other items.

"At StarKist, we have cultivated a longstanding partnership with Feed the Children, an organization dedicated to nationwide hunger relief efforts and with Cornerstones, an organization that continues to support underserved communities in Northern Fairfax County," said Chae-Ung Um, President and CEO of StarKist. "Hunger and food insecurity are pervasive issues that affect communities everywhere, including right here in Reston. As a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to addressing this challenge head-on and consider it a privilege to give back to this community."

For nearly 15 years, StarKist has contributed over 821,000 pounds of tuna and chicken products to help food-insecure children and families across the U.S., and more than $880,000 to support Feed the Children's disaster and emergency response efforts. This is the latest in StarKist's continual efforts to alleviate hunger and food shortages, dating back to 1917, when there was a nationwide protein shortage during World War I.

"My kids have only been out of school a week, and this will give them more things to eat at home," said Elizabeth, of a participating family. "I feel blessed; that's truly the word that comes to mind. It's amazing what these organizations are doing, there are so many families in need out there."

According to Travis Arnold, president and CEO of Feed the Children, "Children cannot thrive unless their basic needs are met. A widespread issue like childhood hunger will only be solved when enough people work together. Partners like StarKist and Cornerstones are vital to our mission as we continue to serve the families who need us most."

"Coming out of the pandemic, a lot of people were ready to put that in the rearview mirror, but what Cornerstones is seeing is actually that it's going to be a long recovery for so many families who lost income," notes Kerrie Wilson, CEO of Cornerstones. "We've had a 30% increase in people coming to our pantry just over the last 2 months. We lost SNAP benefits, which is a federal program to help supplement food, families are experiencing inflation, and so the need is great. Something like today's wonderful event puts food directly in the hands of families, and it's honestly life changing."

Also speaking at the event were: Julie Laird Davis, Senior VP, Strategic Partnerships & Individual Giving, Feed the Children; Walter Alcorn, Hunter Mill District Supervisor; Melanie Meren, Fairfax County Public Schools Hunter Mill District Representative; Marlon Dubuisson, District Director, U.S. House of Representatives, Representative Gerry Connally; Alex Iams, Executive Vice President, Fairfax County Economic Development; and, Roberta Gosling, Chair, Cornerstones Board of Directors.

About StarKist Co.
StarKist Co. is a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient proteins. An industry innovator, StarKist was the first brand to introduce single-serve pouch products, which include StarKist Tuna Creations^®, Salmon Creations^® and Chicken Creations^®. As America's favorite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist's charismatic brand icon, Charlie^® the Tuna, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.

About Feed the Children
At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in eight countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships. For more information, visit feedthechildren.org.

About Cornerstones
Since 1970, Cornerstones has championed the Dulles Corridor as a thriving, equitable, and compassionate place to live and work. More than 16,000 families and individuals, including upwards of 5,000 children, annually benefit from our safety-net services and programs, including homelessness prevention, emergency shelter and food, and urgent financial assistance to help stabilize people in times of crisis. As important, Cornerstones works beyond emergency help to empower our most vulnerable neighbors to regain their independence by securing affordable housing, quality education for children, and valuable job-skills training. In addition to serving as one of Northern Virginia's leading human service anchor organizations, Cornerstones is a respected advisor to local, state, and national jurisdictions to encourage building and preserving affordable housing; investing in connected and resilient children, youth, and families; creating good jobs and economic security; and advancing systems change to undo racial and social inequity. For more information, visit cornerstonesva.org.

SOURCE StarKist Co.