PAINT THE TOWN ORANGE
‘DALLAS’ star Jesse Metcalfe, city officials, volunteers call on North Texans to ‘Get Fed Up with Hunger’
(Dallas) September 11, 2012 – Beginning month-long celebrations for its 30th anniversary of filling tables and improving lives, the North Texas Food Bank recently kicked-off Hunger Action Month with a hard-hitting new campaign calling on the community to “Get Fed Up with Hunger: Go Orange” – the color of hunger awareness.
NTFB’s rally-style event aimed to alert the community to the urgent need during an important election year and as new USDA data again ranks Texas with one of the nation’s highest food insecurity rates, with 18.5 percent of the population affected.
“Dallas” star Jesse Metcalfe, Dallas Mayor Pro-Tem Pauline Medrano and teams of volunteers lent hands to the start of a non-stop 30-hour food sort-a-thon commemorating the big anniversary and supporting NTFB’s massive efforts to provide more than 47 million nutritious meals this year.
Get Fed Up with Hunger
At a time when one in six people in the local community is food insecure, NTFB’s aggressive new “Get Fed Up” campaignntfb.org website features the real faces of hunger – people of all walks of life still struggling in an unstable economy – and lays out the facts of why the issue deserves top billing this election year and when Congress is considering changes to SNAP funding that could significantly impact families. Backing grassroots community efforts, campaign billboards, TV and radio public service ads proclaim: “Spending Cuts Shouldn’t Include Dinner” and “Support the War on Hunger.” Supporters can take part by volunteering, making a donation or ordering “Get Fed Up” t-shits, yard signs, buttons, and bumper stickers from NTFB’s newly designed ntfb.org website.
Community Partners Paint the Town Orange
North Texas business and community partners will also “Get Fed Up” by painting the town orange, commemorating Hunger Action Month and NTFB’s 30th Anniversary. From the cities of Dallas and Mesquite, to the lights of area landmarks such as The Omni Dallas Hotel, One Arts Plaza, Mockingbird Station, The Shops at Legacy in Plano, and Thanks-Giving Square, to a giant orange bow tied on the neck of the giraffe statue at the Dallas Zoo, North Texas will be seeing orange for September.
“A lot has changed in 30 years, but our mission to pursue a hunger-free community has never wavered, which is why we have successfully distributed 575 million pounds of food – enough to feed a packed Cowboys
Stadium every day for two-and-a-half years – since our founding in September of 1982,” explained Jan Pruitt, NTFB president and CEO. “Leading into election season there will be a lot of talk about red vs. blue states, but little
attention is paid to the urgent state of hunger – where 700,000 of our North Texas neighbors in need currently live. We ask that the community that has generously supported us for thirty years will show us their colors and Get Fed Up with Hunger: Go Orange.”
Dallas Mayor Pro-Tem Pauline Medrano, who on behalf of Mayor Mike Rawlings officially proclaimed September as Hunger Action Month, announced that Dallas City Hall will also Go Orange, with several visible initiatives to be unveiled this month. “The North Texas Food Bank is a vital safety net helping to fill tables and improve lives, and is continually developing new and innovative ways to extend its reach deeper into the communities it serves as it ‘ReThinks Hunger’ and brings healthier, smarter and stronger solutions to the table,” continued Medrano. “We recognize and congratulate the Food Bank on its 30th Anniversary and proclaim September as Hunger Action Month in Dallas — encouraging citizens to join us in taking action and make a difference.”
30-Hour Sort-A-Thon
Also at the event, “Dallas” Star Jesse Metcalf and other special guests including NTFB client Julie Espinosa, rolled up their sleeves to kick-off a first-ever 30-hour-long food Sort-a-Thon — a salute to the distribution center volunteer experience, a model of efficiency that has enabled the food bank to cut operational costs since it started. Decked out in fun theme costumes such as the 80s, volunteer teams took shifts sorting and packing fresh produce, meats and packaged goods for distribution to NTFB’s network of more than 340 Member Agencies in 13 North Texas counties. Participating corporate and community partners in the Sort-a-Thon include: Atmos Energy, Award Solutions, CEC Entertainment (Chuck E. Cheese), Dallas Baptist University, Dean Foods, Hotels.com, Samsung, Southern Methodist University, Starbucks, and numerous individual volunteers.
“Please volunteer your time, becoming a hunger advocate or donating money to join our efforts in September and into the holiday season,” added Pruitt. “Any amount helps feed hungry North Texans as just $1 provides 3 meals, and 94 cents of every dollar goes directly to our mission.”
NTFB: 30 Years of Filling Tables & Improving Lives
Founded in 1982 by Jo Curtis, Ambassador Kathryn Hall, Lorraine Griffin Kircher and Liz Minyard to address the critical issue of hunger by distributing donations of surplus food and grocery products through a network of charitable organizations known as Member Agencies, NTFB continues to evolve in order to meet community demand and to address the nutritional needs of children, families and seniors through education, advocacy and strategic partnerships. As the issue of hunger has grown larger and far more complex, NTFB is now working to ReThink Hunger by providing healthier food, developing new ways to extend its reach and improving the lives of the people it serves.
Visit ntfb.org and follow NTFB on social media for more ways to contribute. Get Fed Up with Hunger: Go Orange for Hunger Action Month and for NTFB’s 30th Anniversary in September.
About The North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank is a top-ranked nonprofit relief organization, which leads the fight against hunger with knowledge-based strategies to distribute donated, purchased, and prepared foods through a network of feeding programs in 13 North Texas counties. NTFB supports the nutritional needs of children, families and seniors through research, education, advocacy and strategic partnerships. In FY 2012, NTFB provided access to more than 47 million nutritious meals, a 45% increase year-over-year. Founded in 1982, the year 2012 marks NTFB’s 30th anniversary. NTFB is a member of Feeding America (feedingamerica.org).
Submitted by Colleen Petersen, Lovell Public Relations.
To submit your good news and events for publication, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
North Texas Food Bank kicks off Hunger Action Month added by Editor on
View all posts by Editor →