ARLINGTON, Va., April 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Gerber Products Company announced its annual donation* of baby food products to Feeding America increased to more than $2.8 million to support those in need. As COVID-19 impacts the health and financial security of American families, it has donated more than $687,000 of baby food to Feeding America for the months of March and April to support families during the global pandemic.

As consumer demand for shelf stable, non-perishable food items increased dramatically due to the pandemic, Feeding America reported a decrease in donations of these critical items. The challenge was compounded by a sharp spike in new families relying on food banks. Gerber's donation is helping to fill an urgent need for baby food products in local food banks across the nation.

"At Gerber, we've stood by families through the past 90 years – during both trying and prosperous times," said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. "The global COVID-19 pandemic has put millions of American families in crisis, seeking help to put food on their table. As a long-time trusted partner for parents, we felt it was our responsibility to step up for those families and to ensure their little ones are getting the high-quality, nutritious food they need to maintain healthy growth and development."

"More than 11 million children in the U.S. face hunger," said Blake Thompson, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Feeding America. "The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for food assistance and food banks are working tirelessly to help their communities in need. Through Gerber's increased donation of baby food, we are able to provide more meals to children in need during this critical time."

In addition to its donation to Feeding America, Gerber has donated more than $2 million in baby food products during the COVID-19 pandemic to various local food banks across the country to continue its mission of doing Anything for Baby. Food bank recipients include Atlanta Community Food Bank, Central California Food Bank, Children's Hunger Fund, Community Action Partnership Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, and The African American Association.

"We are grateful to the dedicated essential workers – on farms, in manufacturing facilities and on the frontlines – who make it possible to put food on the table for American families," said Antonio Martinez de Aragon, Head Of Supply Chain Management at Gerber.

Gerber is part of the Nestlé family, who has been working with our long-standing partners and first responders in the United States in response to COVID-19. For more information on how Nestlé businesses are mobilizing across the U.S. to support our communities, visit www.nestleusa.com/about-us/covid-response-fact-sheet.

To learn more about how to support Feeding America's COVID-19 response fund, visit www.feedingamerica.org/take-action.

* Donations made May 1, 2019 – April 30, 2020

ABOUT GERBER
Gerber Products Company was founded in 1928 in Fremont, Mich. Gerber joined the Nestlé family on September 1, 2007. Gerber is a leader in early childhood nutrition. At Gerber, research informs everything we do – from the products we make, the nutrition education we deliver and the services we offer. Gerber provides resources from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) for health care professionals at Medical.Gerber.com/FITS and for parents at Gerber.com.

ABOUT FEEDING AMERICA
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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SOURCE Gerber