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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Ed Cooney or Amera Bilal
Congressional Hunger Center
229 ½ Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 547-7022
Fax: (202) 547-7575
Washington, DC – May 24, 2006 – The Congressional Hunger Center and Victory Wholesale Grocers of Springboro, Ohio, and Boca Raton, Florida, announced the 2006 Fourteenth Anniversary “Victory Against Hunger Awards” on February 26, 2006 and have extended the application deadline of May 31st to June 15th. The awards are fifteen $1,000 grants to be presented to anti-hunger organizations, food banks, schools, state agencies, and nutrition and health groups. The total unrestricted grants from Victory Wholesale Grocers have now reached $218,000 since their inception in 1993.
A panel of experts will choose awardees based on their success in achieving the goal expressed by this year’s theme, “Fighting Hunger through Developing and/or Implementing Local and State School Meals Wellness Policies.” This theme was chosen because CHC believes that the implementation of wellness plans for children’s school meals programs that incorporate nutrition education, physical activity and improve the quality of foods served are the best way to educate this generation of children to pursue healthy eating habits and promote a healthy diet. Special consideration will be given to groups whose wellness policies incorporate the goals of increased access to school meals programs. Organizations or schools that can demonstrate innovative local or state wellness policies for school children are eligible for a Victory Against Hunger Award.
The annual “Victory Against Hunger Awards” were established by David Kantor, President of Victory Wholesale Grocers, to recognize outstanding organizations in the United States that work to end hunger and improve nutrition and health at the local level. Fourteen years ago Kantor teamed up with then-Congressional Hunger Center Chairman, Rep. Tony Hall, because each believed strongly in the value of keeping members of Congress involved in solving the problem of hunger. CHC’s co-chairs, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and Rep. James P. McGovern, are now carrying on this noble tradition.
Under the Hunger Awards program, potential awardees may only be nominated by a member of U.S. Congress. The application process consists of a one or two page letter from a member of Congress to the Congressional Hunger Center highlighting the nominee’s efforts in “Fighting Hunger through Developing and/or Implementing Local and State School Meals Wellness Policies.” The nomination period is April 10th through June 15th. Awards will be made in July. Congressional nomination letters should be addressed to Victory Against Hunger, c/o Congressional Hunger Center, 229 ½ Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Washington, DC 20003. The name and telephone number, including area code, of a contact person from the Congressional office accepting the check must accompany each nomination.
Founded in 1979, Victory Wholesale Grocers is a wholesale distributor of dry groceries and health and beauty care products. Victory is a national company, employing hundreds of people across the country, that distributes to wholesalers and retailers across the United States and Puerto Rico.
Established in 1993, the Congressional Hunger Center’s mission is to fight hunger by developing leaders who have a shared commitment to a nation and a world free from hunger. It embodies the spirit and goal of the former House Select Committee on Hunger, “to find real solutions to hunger and poverty.” CHC administers the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program and the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program.
For additional information about the Congressional Hunger Center, please see our website at www.hungercenter.org.
Tips on Winning a Victory Against Hunger Award
- Contact the local office of the House or Senate member who represents the constituents that participate in your organization’s or school’s program in their state. There is no application for a VAH award. A member of Congress simply submits a one or two page letter describing how your organization has been effective in developing and implementing local/state school lunch wellness policies.
- Explain to the Congressional Office how the VAH awards program is a “win/win” situation in that members of Congress get an opportunity to recognize (with a private sector donated cash award) the valuable work of one of their constituent organizations. Each Congressional member will learn a great deal about school wellness policies and become a program supporter while your organization or school will receive recognition for a job well done.
- Make sure that you give the Congressional office all the information it needs to clearly demonstrate that your organization is effectively developing and/or implementing local/state school lunch wellness policies.
- Consideration is only given to nomination letters which include the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person in either the local or Washington, DC, Congressional office willing to accept the VAH award check.
- CHC normally receives more than 65 nominations. We encourage you to apply early to ensure receipt of materials by the deadline.
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