Food bank could be a big winner with help from 'Biggest Loser'

Planning to shed some pounds by the end of June?

You can help yourself, your family and the Northern Illinois Food Bank in the process.

The St. Charles-based facility stands to gain 14 cents per pound that people pledge to lose by registering at the Pound For Pound Challenge Web site, pfpchallenge.com, between now and June 30.

The food bank will be featured in a recorded segment on Tuesday's 7 p.m. NBC broadcast of "The Biggest Loser."

If a person visits the Web site and pledges to lose 10 pounds, the food bank will receive $1.40 from General Mills and other sponsors.

"It's really easy. It takes less than five minutes if you go online and sign up," said Shannon Thompson, NIFB spokeswoman. "It's a personal pledge and personal goal to help other people. We're only two months into the year and there's plenty of time to pledge."

As of Monday afternoon, more than 145,000 people pledged to lose some 4.3 million pounds.

Overall, Illinois was running eighth in terms of pounds pledged, but the NIFB was sixth among organizations with nearly 2,500 people pledging to lose a collective 71,000 pounds.

Organizers also enlisted a Wheaton couple, Jerry and Estella Hayes, who appeared two seasons ago and are the oldest contestants to appear on the show, to help promote the cause.

A television crew in February taped the couple volunteering at the food bank to pack meal boxes for seniors.

Jerry Hayes won a $100,000 consolation prize in the televised live finale for being the eliminated contestant who lost the highest percentage of weight during the show's seventh season.

Estella Hayes said she and her husband lost a total of 259 pounds.

"We're not still trying to lose (weight), so we can help in another way," she said, adding they definitely will tune in for the show. "We're big fans of 'The Biggest Loser.' They gave us great opportunity."

The food bank distributed more than 27 million pounds of food to 520 partner agencies in 13 counties last year, including Kane, DuPage, Will, Lake and McHenry counties.

Pledges made by Cook County residents will help the Greater Chicago Food Depository.