The grant was a part of Sodexo’s Feeding Our Future program, which is provides school children who receive free or reduced price lunches during the school year with lunches during summer break. Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young acknowledged volunteers and supporters for their efforts during a special barbeque held for the city’s children.
The Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization of Sodexo, has provided free lunches to children through Feeding Our Future, since 1997. The Sodexo Foundation provides grants to local Sodexo accounts to purchase food for the meals and local Sodexo employees prepare the meals each day.
"With nearly one in four children living in households that find it increasingly difficult to put food on the table, there are bound to be additional challenges when the school doors close for the summer," Stephen Brady, president of the Sodexo Foundation, said in a press release. "We understand the needs that exist and we are determined to make a positive impact that leads to the elimination of hunger in this country."
In addition to Atlanta, Feeding Our Future will provide more than 300,000 summer lunches in 19 other cities including Boston, Buffalo, N.Y., Camden, N.J., Chattanooga, Tenn., Chicago, Ill., and Denver, Colo.