Oklahomans Weigh In On Hunger
Nearly 49,000 Pounds Pledged Provides 56,000 Meals
May 25, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY - Through a partnership with NBC’s The Biggest Loser and Feeding America, Oklahomans have pledged to lose more than 49,000 pounds in the Pound for Pound Challenge. Residents can still pledge to lose weight until June 30, which in turn will raise donations for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Currently, more than $8,000 will be donated to the Regional Food Bank, which will provide 56,000 meals to hungry Oklahomans.
For every pound pledged at PFPChallenge.com, Feeding America, The Biggest Loser, General Mills, Subway, 24 Hour Fitness and The Kroger Co. will donate 14 cents to Feeding America, who will then distribute the donations to Food Banks across the country, including the Regional Food Bank. Last year, Pound for Pound Challenge participants raised $3,700 for the Regional Food Bank.
Danny Cahill, Broken Arrow resident and winner of Season 8 of The Biggest Loser, lost 239 pounds on the show. After the show ended, he took the Pound For Pound Challenge as he tried to lose some extra pounds gained over the holidays.
“I lost the extra 7 pounds I was trying to lose before the Boston Marathon thanks to the Pound For Pound Challenge!” said Cahill. Cahill will also appear on a June 10th airing of the television show, The Doctors.
The Regional Food Bank is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state. The nonprofit provides enough food to feed more than 77,000 people each week through its network of 460 partner agencies in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties.
Last month, the Regional Food Bank distributed more than three million pounds of food. Because food distribution has increased dramatically in the last twelve months, the Regional Food Bank is seeking additional volunteers to help pack food donations.
The Pound For Pound Challenge, sponsored by The Biggest Loser, Feeding America, General Mills, Subway, 24 Hour Fitness and The Kroger Co., is designed to help deliver millions of pounds of groceries to local food banks across the U.S.
To join the weight loss challenge and help fight hunger in Oklahoma, visit www.PFPChallenge.com. To make a donation to the Regional Food Bank, or to volunteer, call 405.972.1111 or visit regionalfoodbank.org.
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is a private, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that acts as a link through which the food industry and community may donate food and other goods. The products are then distributed to nearly 700 schools and charitable feeding programs in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. In the last fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed 28.5 million pounds of food and product to help the charitable community effectively feed people in need. Since its inception in 1980, the Food Bank has distributed more than 321 million pounds of food to feed Oklahoma’s hungry. Visit our website at www.regionalfoodbank.org.
