Feeding America Food Banks to Benefit from State Statute

State Tax Form Donation Allows for Increased Food Distribution to the Hungry

WHO: Bonnie Bellehumeur, President of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (Formerly named America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin), Senator Spencer Coggs, Representative Leon Young, and Reverend Andres Marquez, First Pentecostal Church

WHAT: News conference to announce new state tax form donation benefiting Feeding America food banks. Photo opportunity: Food box distribution to the hungry

WHEN: Friday, August 28, 2009 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: First Pentecostal Church, 1702 S. 19^th Street, Milwaukee, WI

WHY: To announce a new donation opportunity to feed the hungry via the state tax form

Milwaukee, Wis.- At a time when Wisconsin food banks are experiencing unprecedented need to feed hungry children, families and seniors, Wisconsin residents will now have a new opportunity to lend a helping hand to the hungry.  On Friday, August 28, 2009 at 11 a.m. Senator Spencer Coggs and Representative Leon Young will join Bonnie Bellehumeur, President of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, to announce a new effort that will allow Wisconsin residents to donate $1 or more to Feeding America food banks in the state of Wisconsin via their state tax form.  This will take effect for the 2009 tax season and has the potential to raise $200,000 for the hungry in Wisconsin.  It will benefit Feeding America food banks in the state of Wisconsin including Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, located in Madison, and Feed My People located in Eau Claire.

Following the announcement, Senator Coggs and Representative Young will help distribute food boxes to approximately 200 families at First Pentecostal Church located at 1702 S. 19^th Street in Milwaukee.

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235,000 people in eastern Wisconsin rely on food supplied by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (formerly named America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin) each year.  The food bank is the largest, private, non-profit distributor of food in the state. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin distributes more than 12 million pounds of food annually to 1,100 food pantries, meal programs and shelters throughout eastern Wisconsin.  Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is affiliated with Feeding America, formerly named America’s Second Harvest, which is consistently ranked as one of the most efficient charities, out of the country’s 100 largest charities, by Forbes magazine.  Since 1982, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin has distributed more than 200 million pounds of food.  To learn more about hunger in Wisconsin, log onto www.feedingamericawi.org.