Chicago, IL – October 24, 2023 – The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) Foundation is proud to announce its efforts to DEAFEAT HUNGER in Chicago this year. Join us for an exciting press conference as we reaffirm our dedication to the community.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, October 24
• Time: 2:00 PM Local Chicago Time
• Location: McCormick Place’s South Hall Concourse during the 2023 Process Expo

In a remarkable display of support for the local community, FPSA, FPSA Foundation, and Process Expo Exhibitors will be making a generous donation, including thousands of turkeys, an abundance of healthy pizzas, and a substantial monetary contribution of over 300,000 meals. This year’s DEFEAT HUNGER campaign marks a significant milestone in FPSA's ten-year Defeat Hunger Campaign, bringing the total number of meals provided to Chicago’s needy families to over 2 million.

The Defeat Hunger Campaign, initiated by the Foundation of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) in 2013, has been an enduring effort in collaboration with the Food Processing Association’s members to address food insecurity in Cook County. The 2023 DEFEAT HUNGER campaign marks the sixth year of our unwavering support for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, serving hundreds of thousands of Cook County residents annually.

Jarrod McCarroll, Chairman of the Foundation of the Food Processing Suppliers Association and CEO of Weber will emphasize the importance of giving back to the community that hosts the bi-annual Process Expo in Chicago. He will express his admiration for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization integral to the Chicago community.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository operates across Cook County, supporting an extensive network of pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile programs, children’s initiatives, and more. In the previous year, the Food Depository distributed a historic volume of food, equivalent to millions of meals.

Kate Maehr, Executive Director & CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, applauds FPSA, the FPSA Foundation, and Process Expo for their invaluable partnership. She will highlight the Defeat Hunger campaign as a powerful statement from the food manufacturing industry, reaffirming the commitment that no one should go hungry:

• In 2023, the Greater Chicago Food Depository distributed nearly 92 million pounds of food through our network of more than 800 partner food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other food programs.
• Hunger persists in our community. Food insecurity and food needs in Chicago and Cook County remain elevated. Nineteen percent of Chicago Metro area households (one in five households) and 22 percent of households with children were food insecure during the last week of August and the first week of September – similar levels to what we saw during the first few months of the pandemic.
• While, for the most part, the pandemic appears to be behind us, many families continue to find it hard to put food on the table due to the cumulative effects of inflation, elevated food prices, and the rollback of crucial pandemic-era public assistance programs such as SNAP (or food stamps). As a result, many families are turning to food pantries for the first time. In August 2023, our network of partner pantries across Cook County served more than 190,000 households (approximately 422,000 individuals) – 20 percent more guests than last August.

We invite you to join us as we reinforce our dedication to the Greater Chicago community. Please contact Elena Sierra at the Food Processing Suppliers Association for more information or to confirm your attendance:

Media Contact:

Elena Sierra
Food Processing Suppliers Association
Phone: 703-663-1220
Email: esierra@FPSA.org

Don’t miss this opportunity to witness another significant step in the fight against hunger. Your presence at this press conference on Tuesday, October 24, is crucial in spreading the message of hope and community support. Together, we can make a difference.

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FPSA is a trade association serving global food and beverage suppliers. The Association’s programs and services assist its members in marketing their products and services and improve their business practices. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include Process Expo, electronic media marketing, education, research, and being the voice of its members in the public arena on issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade.