Campbell's Chunky donated more than 24,500 cans of soup today — equating to nearly 50,000 servings — to the Freestore Foodbank as a result of the "Tackle Hunger" program, a partnership between Campbell and the Cincinnati Bengals.
"The Tackle Hunger Program reminds us that we can all play a role in making real food more accessible to those who need it most," said Jeff Boni of the Campbell Soup Company. "Campbell's Chunky is proud to support this program for the fourth year in a row and work with outstanding organizations, such as Kroger, the Cincinnati Bengals and Freestore Foodbank, who share our passion for the Cincinnati community."
The hunger relief program called for Campbell to donate 30 cans of soup for every Bengals tackle on defense during the 2017 season. The Bengals finished the '17 season with 818 tackles on defense. This year's total of more than 24,500 cans of soup is an increase of nearly 5000 cans over last year's donation total.
"In our fight against hunger, it's all about teamwork," said Freestore Foodbank CEO Kurt Reiber. "After the holidays, we are challenged to restock our pantries' shelves with nutritious food. Campbell and the Bengals have once again teamed up to Tackle Hunger and provide some wonderful Campbell's soup to our Tri-State neighbors to help get them through this cold winter weather. This donation allows us to tell the story of hunger's impact on our community. With teammates like Campbell and the Bengals, we know that we can solve hunger."
The program also was supported by Kroger.
"Kroger is proud to assist great partners like Campbell and the Freestore Foodbank to help our Cincinnati Bengals Tackle Hunger," said Ken McClure, Regional Director of The Kroger Company. "Kroger is committed to end hunger in our communities by 2025, as part of our 'Zero Hunger | Zero Waste' plan, and this program is one more step toward that goal."
Said Bengals Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn: "We are excited to be able to partner with Campbell to benefit the Freestore Foodbank. Our defensive players enjoy building the donation total with every tackle made. The Cincinnati community is fortunate that a company like Campbell has a strong presence in our city, and their contribution is much appreciated."
