The nation’s high unemployment rate, plus cutbacks in school breakfast and lunch programs, along with the usual summer slump in food donations is prompting foodservice distributor U.S. Foodservice to launch Operation STEM-ulus to help buy more fruits and vegetables for Americans in need.
‘With the unemployment rate at 9.5 percent, a growing number of Americans urgently need our help and they need it now,’ said Bob Aiken, president and chief executive officer, U.S. Foodservice. ‘Last fall, the USDA said 36.2 million Americans, including 12.4 million children, were ‘food insecure’ meaning they suffer from disrupted eating patterns and fewer meals because of a lack of money or other resources. And the problem has only grown worse over the last several months.’
Cookbook Sales Benefit Hunger Relief
The campaign will run through October 15 to raise money through the sale of a comprehensive 336-page cookbook called Recipes from the Heart, a collection of kitchen favorites created by U.S. Foodservice employees and edited by the company’s culinary team.
The book’s foreword was written by Paula Deen, known as the ‘queen of Southern-styled and home-style cooking’ and host of a popular show on the Food Network. The 386 recipes in the book are alphabetized for easy reference into categories: Appetizers, Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Entrees, Vegetables and Side Dishes, Salads, Soups and Desserts.
‘The cookbook recipes range from gourmet entrees to simple, fantastic ‘stick-to-your-ribs’ dinners,’ Aiken said. ‘One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of the books will be given to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, to provide fruits and vegetables to food pantries across the country for kids and families during this summer.’
Offered at a Reduced Price
Aiken urged consumers to visit U.S. Foodservice’s web site web site to review and order the cookbook. While Recipes from the Heart is regularly priced at $24.99 plus shipping, the book can be purchased for just $14.99 plus shipping during Operation STEM-ulus from July 15 through October 15. After that date, the price returns to $24.99 plus postage. Consumers who purchase the cookbook will be acknowledged on the Full Plates Full Lives web site for their support.
‘The cookbook is a unique way for people to help children and families in need in these tough economic times,’ Aiken said.
U.S. Foodservice is one of the country’s leading foodservice distributors, offering more than 43,000 national, private label and signature brand items and an array of services to its more than 250,000 customers. The company employs 26,000 associates in more than 60 locations nationwide.
