PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sound the school bells. As part of a $1 million commitment with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), the Lunchables brand is taking it back to the days when recess was the real deal by awarding $100,000 in renovation grants this year aimed at bringing underserved youth access to physical fitness programs and nutritious food just in time for the back-to-school season.

This is the fifth year Lunchables has teamed up with BGCA to support renovation efforts. A contribution of $200,000 in 2017 will bring the total donation to $1 million over the course of five years. This year, $100,000 will be given directly to the selected Clubs for renovation efforts, and an additional $100,000 to BGCA to support programs of greatest need. The final report card will include eleven total renovated spaces in Clubs across the country that serve a combined 1,200 youth.

“Whether it be the comfort of knowing where your next meal is coming from or participating in physical activity, before and after school programs are critical for filling in the gaps,” said Kraft Lunchables Associate Brand Manager, Eric Shamberg. “Lunchables is proud to award $100,000 in renovation grants to Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to support the positive, life-changing programs Clubs are offering underserved youth as they head back to school.”

Four Clubs have been selected to receive $25,000 each in 2017, including:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boys & Girls Club of Chicago
• The U.S. Bank Boys & Girls Club of Cincinnati
• Sarah Heinz House in Pittsburgh
• Boys & Girls Club of Dane County

Clubs have been encouraged to use the funds provided to renovate spaces focused on food insecurity or physical activity. In Chicago, for example, a newly renovated kitchen in the Martin Luther King Jr. Boys & Girls Club will ease the burden felt by the Club to provide nearly 346,000 meals over the course of the year. And in Cincinnati, where forty percent of youth served struggle with obesity, a newly renovated gym will provide a safe space to make physical activity a regular part of the daily routine.

“Our partnership with Lunchables supports essential renovations for Boys & Girls Clubs to continue to offer engaging places to spend time after school,” said Jim Clark, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “From renovated kitchens that will offer healthy eating classes to upgraded basketball courts and soccer fields for sports programs, these updated facilities will enable more Boys & Girls Clubs kids and teens to achieve great futures.”

Each renovation is on track for completion by late summer.

Providing safe and fun spaces for young people after school and during the summer offers the greatest opportunity to influence great futures. During the past few years, Lunchables has impacted several Clubs across the country. Previously completed renovations include:

• Boys & Girls Club of Dane County (multiple projects)
• Boys & Girls Club of South County in Los Angeles
• USAG Detroit Arsenal Boys & Girls Club
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas

For more information about Lunchables, Boys & Girls Club of America, please visit www.lunchables.com, www.bgca.org.

ABOUT THE KRAFT HEINZ COMPANY

The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC) is the third-largest food and beverage company in North America and the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands. A globally trusted producer of delicious foods, The Kraft Heinz Company provides high quality, great taste and nutrition for all eating occasions whether at home, in restaurants or on the go. The Company’s iconic brands include Kraft, Heinz, ABC, Capri Sun, Classico, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Lunchables, Maxwell House, Ore-Ida, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Planters, Plasmon, Quero, Smart Ones and Velveeta. The Kraft Heinz Company is dedicated to the sustainable health of our people, our planet and our Company. For more information, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at BGCA’s Facebook and Twitter.

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