GENYOUth and Taste of the NFL Increase Access to 148 Million School Meals, Fostering Nutrition Security Among Students Nationwide
Presented by Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation, Super Bowl LVIII's Largest Philanthropic Event Supports GENYOUth's Mission to Help Tackle Youth Hunger
Nutrition Grant Opportunity Opens for U.S. Schools
NEW YORK, March 27, 2024 /3BL/ - GENYOUth, the national nonprofit organization founded by America's dairy farmers and the NFL to help ensure students are well-nourished and active to be their best selves, announced today that the collective impact of the 2024 Taste of the NFL philanthropic event totaled $2.0 million. These funds, the largest raised by a Taste of the NFL event since its founding in 1992, will benefit 1,000 schools and 550,000 students by increasing access to 148 million school meals to foster nutrition security among students in all 32 NFL club markets. As a result, GENYOUth is inviting school nutrition professionals to apply for Equipment Grants at educator.fuelup.org/opportunities through April 9, 2024.
Taste of the NFL, held at Keep Memory Alive Event Center in Las Vegas on February 10, 2024 with the support of presenting sponsors Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation, featured world class chefs Andrew Zimmern, Carla Hall, Tim Love, Lasheeda Perry, and Mark Bucher; as well as nationally renowned and locally loved Las Vegas culinary talent Bob Broskey, Matt Chacho, Josh Capon, Mauro Casanto, Olivier Dubreuil, Belle English, Todd English, Joey Faugno, Bryan Forgione, Lorena Garcia, Lukasz Mackowiak, Patrick Munster, Christopher Shane, James Trees, and Jennifer Yee; chefs from the PepsiCo Foundation's IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator and Black Restaurant Accelerator programs including DJ Flores, Paula Escudero and Sean Wilson, Rochelle Hodge, and Dan Chatman; and PepsiCo Chef Steven Dominguez, Quaker's Associate Research Chef and Culinary Lead, and Charlene Gladden, Frito Lay's Senior Research Chef and Culinary Lead.
These masterful chefs were joined by over 30 NFL Legends and players including Will Blackmon, Daryn Colledge, Doug Flutie, Morlon Greenwood, Tony Moll, Shannon Sharpe, Jason Spitz, Stephen Tulloch, and Charles Woodson; as well as football and foodie fans inspired to help end student hunger.
"School meals are a critical lifeline for millions of students, and for many the only source of good nutrition they may receive on some days. The collective impact of Taste of the NFL will enable GENYOUth to provide grants to 1,000 school nutrition programs across the country," said Ann Marie Krautheim, M.A., R.D., L.D., CEO of GENYOUth. "We are grateful for the support of our Taste of the NFL sponsors, the NFL and our End Student Hunger partners. Together we are tackling food insecurity and fostering nutrition security among students across the nation."
Taste of the NFL presenting sponsors featured Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation; and NFL sponsors Frito-Lay® Variety Packs, Cheetos, Tostitos, Doritos, Toyota, and Verizon. The event's End Student Hunger partners included PNC Bank, American Family Insurance, Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers Association, Totino's, The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, Hellmann's/Best Foods, Boars Head Brand, Walmart, PepsiCo, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Las Vegas Raiders, John Anthony Family of Wines, Smoke Wagon Straight Whiskeys, Amazon Access, Melissa's Produce, Le Portier Cognac by Shannon Sharpe, Charles Woodson's Intercept Wine and Woodson Whiskey, Don Londrés, Livia's Salt, Three Fat Guys Wine, Circle House Coffee, FEED, KLAS-TV News 8, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Yelp, and Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee.
"We are honored to once again collaborate with the incredible team at GENYOUth to raise a record $2 million in funding through Taste of the NFL to increase access to school meals for thousands of children across the country," said Peter O'Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business, International & League Events. "The NFL is also grateful for the valuable contributions of several of our sponsors, including event presenting sponsors Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation along with Toyota, Verizon, and TCL, to making this annual Super Bowl event such a success and ensuring our nation's youth can lead active and well-nourished lifestyles."
In the lead up to Super Bowl LVIII, Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation – in collaboration with partners including Clark County School District, Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee, and Dairy Council of Nevada; and corporate sponsor The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation in partnership with Smith's – partnered with GENYOUth on Super School Meals, a community initiative which has provided Grab and Go school meal equipment packages to over 58 high-need Nevada schools, providing access to over 11 million school meals and increase access for 40,000 students. In addition, as part of the Quaker Pregrain Tour and to show its support, Quaker also made a $250,000 donation to GENYOUth which is reflected in the collective impact of Taste of the NFL.
"Our support of the 2024 Taste of the NFL event and the Super School Meals initiative is increasing equitable impact to nutritious food in communities in Nevada and across the nation where our employees live and work," said C.D. Glin, President, PepsiCo Foundation, and Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo. "We are proud of our long-standing support for GENYOUth and its partnership in providing schools with critical resources and tools to drive meaningful impact and help alleviate food insecurity among our most vulnerable children."
"The event's mission aligns with PNC's commitment to our communities," said Denette Suddeth, PNC regional president for Nevada. "Food insecurity is a major issue for so many people across our country and right here in Nevada. We support GENYOUth and its work, and we are excited that the proceeds from this event will go directly to helping students get the meals they need to stay healthy and grow strong."
"Our mission is to inspire, protect and restore dreams. We understand with the right support, any dream is possible. We are proud to join GENYOUth in their support of healthy school communities," said Sherina Smith, American Family Insurance chief marketing officer. "Partnering with Taste of the NFL is a valuable opportunity to bring awareness to the issue of food insecurity and invest in resources that empower youth to thrive and pursue their dreams."
Planning is already underway for Taste of the NFL 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana with customized sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Kelianne Johnson, GENYOUth Director of Marketing & Development, at Kelianne.Johnson@GENYOUthNow.org for sponsorship details.
About GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 national nonprofit dedicated to helping school children thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives. A catalyst for youth health and wellness, GENYOUth has supported over 77,000 U.S. schools to equip them with the resources needed to ensure millions of children have equitable access to nutrition and physical activity. Founded by America's dairy farmers and the NFL, GENYOUth convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. With a commitment to end student hunger, GENYOUth provides nutrition grants to increase access to healthy school meals among food insecure students. GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience that raises awareness and generates funds to fight hunger and food insecurity to support the organization's commitment to end student hunger. To learn more and support GENYOUth visit www.GENYOUthnow.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About the National Football League
The National Football League is America's most popular sports league, comprised of 32 franchises that compete each year to win the Super Bowl, the world's biggest annual sporting event. Founded in 1920, the NFL developed the model for the successful modern sports league, including national and international distribution, extensive revenue sharing, competitive excellence, and strong franchises across the country.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
About Frito-Lay North America
Frito-Lay North America is the $25 billion net sales convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP). For decades, Frito-Lay's portfolio of beloved products has brought smiles to millions of families across the world, including Fritos® corn chips, Lay's® and Ruffles® potato chips, Doritos® and Tostitos® tortilla chips and branded dips, Cheetos® snacks, Stacy's® pita chips, PopCorners® air popped snacks and SunChips® multigrain snacks. The company operates more than 40 manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada, along with a vast distribution network that services over 315,000 retail customers weekly through its direct-store-delivery model. Through pep+ (PepsiCo Positive), Frito-Lay is committed to creating positive change for the planet and people. Learn more about Frito-Lay at FritoLay.com, on X (@FritoLay), on Instagram (@FritoLay) and on Facebook (FritoLay).
About the PepsiCo Foundation
The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsicofoundation.com.
About the Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 140 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition – including Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes, Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars and more. Through pep+ (PepsiCo Positive), Quaker is committed to creating positive change for the planet and people. Learn more about Quaker at QuakerOats.com, on X (@Quaker), on Instagram (@Quaker) and on Facebook (Quaker).
About PNC Bank
PNC Bank, N.A., is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com/.
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