Disney Donates $1 Million to FEEDING AMERICA to Help Families in Need

Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief organization, salutes Disney for its $1 million donation, the vast majority of which will provide grants to 60 food banks to sustain and expand their nutritious meal offerings distributed through afterschool child feeding programs. The donation will be announced on ABC's "The Chew" today at 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT/PT.

The ABC lifestyle series will also feature a segment about Seattle-area's Food Lifeline, a Feeding America member food bank that provides afterschool meals through a Kids Cafe program. Additionally, during the episode, "The Chew" co-hosts will be joined by three Feeding America member food bank and related meal service program cooks, as they prepare meals from common ingredients that might be distributed to a family in need.

Participants will include the following:
Robert Owens, City of Refuge
Jonathan Jernigan, Cathedral Kitchen
Angie Shoffner

Increasing the access kids have to nutritious foods and engaging audiences to take action is a part of Disney Magic of Healthy Living's long-standing commitment to healthy lifestyles. As such, Disney supports Feeding America, who provides nutritious meals to more than 12 million children each year. Disney | ABC Television Group has developed a special interstitial featuring Disney Channel and Disney XD stars including: Leo Howard ("Kickin' It"); Kelli Berglund ("Lab Rats"); Jake Short ("Mighty Med"); Paris Berelc ("Mighty Med"); Tenzing Norgay Trainor ("Liv and Maddie"); Sabrina Carpenter ("Girl Meets World"); Austin North ("I Didn't Do It") and Joey Bragg ("Liv and Maddie"). The interstitials will air throughout November.

"We are excited that Disney has teamed up with Feeding America to bring much-needed food, including fruits and vegetables, to kids and families who need it the most," said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America. "Together, along with the public's support, we will help fill the shelves of local food banks to provide our afterschool programs - from Kids Cafe and BackPack Programs to mobile and school pantries - with healthy produce and nutritious meals to help nourish kids and families during the holidays and all year long."

Since 2011, Disney has contributed $2.4 million to Feeding America.

Feeding America

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that 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.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. Being a good corporate citizen is a time-honored Disney tradition. Through contributions, collaborations with local organizations, in-kind gifts and volunteering, Disney helps to brighten the lives of kids and families in need and strengthen communities around the world. In 2013, the Company donated nearly $370 million in cash, in-kind support and products, and Disney VoluntEARS gave over 667,000 hours of service.

About Disney | ABC Television Group | "The Chew"

The Disney|ABC Television Group is composed of The Walt Disney Company's global entertainment and news television properties, owned television stations, and radio business. This includes ABC, ABC Studios, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations Group, Disney Channels Worldwide and ABC Family, as well as Disney/ABC Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution. Celebrating and exploring life through food, "The Chew," is an innovative and groundbreaking daytime series co-hosted by a dynamic group of engaging, fun, relatable experts in food, lifestyle, and entertaining. Produced by Gordon Elliott's Chew Productions for the ABC Television Network, "The Chew" serves up everything food -- from cooking and home entertaining to food trends, restaurants, holidays and more -- all aimed at making life better, fuller and more fun. Featuring celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Michael Symon, and Carla Hall, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly and health and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz, "The Chew" is a leap forward into a delicious new kind of lifestyle series. Follow "The Chew" (@thechew) and hosts Mario Batali (@mariobatali); Michael Symon (@chefsymon); Clinton Kelly (@clinton_kelly); Carla Hall (@carlahall) and Daphne Oz (@DaphneOz) on Twitter™.