Humanitarian Service Project and the Darden Foundation Partner to Feed Hungry Seniors
[Carol Stream, IL] – May 2, 2012 – Humanitarian Service Project, a private charity focused on serving impoverished senior citizens and families in DuPage and Kane Counties, today announced it has been selected to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the inaugural Restaurant Community Grant Program from the Darden Foundation, the charitable arm of Darden Restaurants Inc. The Restaurant Community Grant Program is a local grants program intended to help support nonprofit organizations in the hundreds of communities Darden and its restaurant brands serve. The donation will enable Humanitarian Service Project to provided muched needed food and other services to a local, needy senior citizens.
Restaurants within the Darden family – Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52 – are helping to award more than $1.7 million in local grants to nearly 900 exceptional nonprofit organizations nationwide. Nonprofits receiving grants support one of Darden's three key focus areas: access to postsecondary education, preservation of natural resources and hunger.
Karole Kettering, Co-founder and Executive Director of HSP, said of Darden's support, "This partnership will the Darden foundation represents an opportunity to make strong impact in the lives of needy senior citizens. We are honored to have been chosen by a foundation so focused on fulfilling needs in the community."
"Each grant is not just a check – it is an opportunity to make an impact, from providing food to the needy in Illinois, to mentoring students in Phoenix and supporting environmental education in New England" said Drew Madsen, president and chief operating officer of Darden Restaurants, Inc. "Our service philosophy extends far beyond the walls of our restaurants. These grants bring that philosophy to life by helping to develop a better future for those we serve, one community at a time."
The grant will help support the 120 impoverished seniors in HSP's Senior Citizen Project. Through the project, these needy seniors receive a monthly delivery that includes over 15 selections of fresh fruits and vegetables, 7 frozen meats, 5 grocery bags of non-perishables, 2 bags of paper products, containing items such as toilet paper, tissue, and personal care items. A sponsorship of $70/month for a senior also includes monthly gifts from a secret-pal (a community donor), gifts at Christmas time and a monthly meal delivered by volunteers. The seniors in HSP's program also receive other benefits through other volunteer programs at HSP, including a free, hot meal through the "meal of the month program" which The Olive Garden in Bloomingdale, a member of Darden Restaurants inc., has offered consistent support.
For more information about the Darden Foundation, please visit http://www.darden.com/commitment/community.asp.
Contact the Humanitarian Service Project:
hsp@humanitarianservice.org.
HSP's website: www.humanitarianservice.org and the HSP's blog: humanitarianserviceproject.blogspot.com.
HSP 465 Randy Road, Carol Stream, IL 60188.
About The Humanitarian Service Project
HSP's mission is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty creates in seniors and children living in DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Last year during the Christmas Offering, 1,600 children received gifts and 100 impoverished families received three weeks of groceries, frozen meats, and fresh produce. With the Senior Citizen Project, HSP provides a monthly food delivery and secret pal gifts to 120 low-income seniors. The Children's Birthday Project reaches the youngest underprivileged, making birthdays and Christmas truly memorable occasions for 900 children. Feed the Kids provides low-income families with groceries and fresh produce. HSP conducts an annual school supplies drive, which sends supplies to the DuPage Back to School Fair in addition to furnishing schools and individual children with necessary supplies.
About Darden Restaurants
Darden Restaurants, Inc., (NYSE: DRI), the world's largest full-service restaurant company, owns and operates more than 1,900 restaurants that generate over $7.5 billion in annual sales. Headquartered in Orlando, and employing 180,000 people, Darden is recognized for a culture that rewards caring for and responding to people. In 2012, Darden was named to the FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for the second year in a row and is the only full-service restaurant company to ever appear on the list. Our restaurant brands - Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52 and Eddie V's - reflect the rich diversity of those who dine with us. Our brands are built on deep insights into what our guests want. For more information, please visit www.darden.com.
The Darden Foundation
The Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation is the charitable arm of Darden Restaurants, Inc. The Foundation's mission is to maintain a spirit of volunteerism and philanthropy as defining characteristics of Darden Restaurants. Since 1995, the Darden Foundation has awarded more than $60 million in grants. Total giving in fiscal year 2012 amounted to $7.8 million, 20 percent of which is represented by the Restaurant Community Grants Program. The Darden Foundation carries out its mission by focusing philanthropic efforts and resources on the following program areas: Access to Postsecondary Education, Preservation of Natural Resources and Good Neighbor Grants.