WhyHunger Smashes Record, Raises Over $750K During 26th Annual Hungerthon

PRESS RELEASE
Dec. 7, 2011, 6:00 a.m. EST
WhyHunger Smashes Record, Raises Over $750K During 26th Annual Hungerthon

NEW YORK, Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — 2011 marks a banner year for WhyHunger with the most successful Hungerthon in the annual event’s 26-year history! Aided by its partners at SiriusXM, CBS Radio (including NYC’s WFAN 660 and WCBS 880), and charitybuzz, WhyHunger raised a record $764,000 for the fight against hunger and poverty, via its online auction and two-day radiothon.

This year’s top Hungerthon earners, some of which brought in bids over $20,000, included:

Bruce Springsteen-autographed guitar

Switchfoot concert at your home

Taylor Swift-signed Baby Taylor Acoustic Guitar

“Fundraising for a hunger organization is never easy,” said WhyHunger Co-Founder and Executive Director Bill Ayres. “But people do care that one in three Americans live in poverty or near poverty and that 49 million Americans – including 17 million children – and one billion people around the world are food insecure. We are thankful for all who helped.”

Hungerthon.org received tens of thousands of visits from over 100 countries worldwide, and for the first time in Hungerthon history, social media played a critical role with 25 percent of all web traffic coming directly from Facebook. WhyHunger also received over $10,000 via text message donations (texting IMAGINE to 50555) through its ongoing “Imagine There’s No Hunger” initiative with Yoko Ono Lennon and Hard Rock International.

To donate to Hungerthon or purchase Hard Rock John Lennon “Imagine There’s No Hunger” holiday gifts, visit http://www.hungerthon.org .

If you know someone who is hungry, call WhyHunger’s National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY to connect the person to emergency food in their neighborhood and all federal nutrition programs.

Hungerthon 2011 Radio Partners: CBS Radio Group (WCBS Newsradio 880, Sports Radio 660 WFAN, 1010 WINS, 101.1 WCBS-FM); SiriusXM Satellite Radio; Clear Channel Radio Group; Univision; 95.5 WPLJ; and WABC Talk Radio.

About WhyHunger

WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment. Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin & current Executive Director Bill Ayres, WhyHunger works to put an end to hunger suffered by 49 million Americans and nearly 1 billion people worldwide. WhyHunger’s main programs include the National Hunger Hotline 1-866-3-HUNGRY, which refers individuals in need of emergency food assistance to soup kitchens, food banks, government nutrition programs & community organizations in their neighborhoods; the Grassroots Action Network, which provides information, networking opportunities, capacity building & access to over 8,000 anti-hunger & poverty community organizations across the United States and around the world; and Artists Against Hunger & Poverty which is supported by Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, Joss Stone, Darryl McDaniels, Jackson Browne, O.A.R, and many others. For more information visit http://www.whyhunger.org .

Text IMAGINE to 50555 to give a $10 donation to WhyHunger. Msg/data rates may apply. Full Terms: mgive.org/T. Privacy Policy

Press Contact:Shore Fire Media718.522.7171Elizabeth Lutz(elutz@shorefire.com)David McTiernan(dmctiernan@shorefire.com)

SOURCE WhyHunger

Copyright (C) 2011 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Come On Rise Up and Support WhyHunger

photo by A. M. Saddler

WhyHunger’s 26th annual Hungerthon online auction to fight worldwide hunger is happening through November. Not only is this a great cause, it’s your opportunity to bid on a limited edition A.M. Saddler archival print of Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons. This photo was featured as Saddler’s “Concert Photo of the Day” on Nov. 3. And on that day, Saddler shared his story about being able to again post pictures of Clarence. It’s a story of coming to grips with loss that many of us can relate to.

It was one of those bittersweet moments in life. There was a realization that no longer would Bruce Springsteen be egging on the crowd to say that name … Clarence. While the E Street Band will continue and there will, no doubt, be saxophone on E Street, Clarence Clemons, the larger-than-life persona can never be replaced … nor should anyone even try.

All of a sudden, in my mind, I found myself screaming, “Yes. You have to say his name!” I think we all have to, loud and proud and often from now on.

Also available in the online auction is a Danny Clinch print of Bruce Springsteen’s guitar with Clarence Clemons’ saxophone, and the opportunity to guest host one hour on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio at SiriusXM’s NYC studios.

So, during this month of Thanksgiving, if you can, support WhyHunger: a donation for as little as $10 will help a child. And, if you think of it, donate in memory of Clarence; I’m guessing he would have appreciated the gesture.

 Reprinted from

Blogness on the Edge of Town

Food Bank Demand is High: People Rally with Stop & Shop

1,500 turkeys delivered for area needy
Stop & Shop donation aids FoodBank effort
Nov. 11, 2011

Written by
Nancy Shields | Staff Writer Asbury Park Press

NEPTUNE — Volunteer Monmouth County emergency workers Thursday helped unload this year’s delivery of 1,500 turkeys for needy families from the Stop & Shop supermarket company to the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

It is the 11th year that area food banks have been getting the turkeys for their Thanksgiving drives from the regional Stop & Shop division.

This year, about 7,000 turkeys are going to six food banks in New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island, said Arlene Putterman, a Stop & Shop spokeswoman.

“Hunger never goes on holiday, and this is the time of year that needy families need us most,” Putterman said as the volunteers awaited the arrival of the frozen turkeys.

Linda Keenan, the FoodBank’s director of development, said that last year her organization provided 10,000 families with turkeys, and this year has increased that number to 11,500.

The FoodBank purchased 8,000 turkeys and received the 1,500 from Stop & Shop, so it still needs 2,000, Keenan said.

Turkeys can be dropped off at the nonprofit food distribution agency at 3300 Route 66 Neptune from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends, Keenan said.

The FoodBank distributes 7 million pounds of donated food each year to a network of approximately 260 hunger-relief organizations in Monmouth and Ocean counties, according to the organization.

Gary McTighe, deputy coordinator of the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management, coordinates the county’s Community Emergency Response Team which had about 20 volunteers helping to unload the truck.

Those volunteers were from New Jersey Natural Gas, Ocean Township, Manalapan, and the Monmouth County Health Department’s medical reserve corps.

Monmouth County Freeholder Amy Mallet commended the collaboration between the county volunteers, the FoodBank and Stop & Shop.

Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program is delivering 19,000 turkeys to a larger area that includes Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.

The company also has raised $1 million this year for 300 local hunger relief organizations in the six states.

Volunteers unload turkeys at the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. / TOM SPADER/ASBURY PARK PRESS/tom spader/staff pho