Harvest for Hunger 2013 Kickoff a Success

The Harvest for Hunger 2013 campaign got off to a great start on Feb. 13 following a kickoff event at the Quicken Loans Arena.

Community leaders - including co-chairs Ken Marblestone (President of Charter One) and Howard Lewis chairman, CEO and founder of Family Heritage (a Torchmark Company), Darnell Brown (the City of Cleveland), County Executive Ed FitzGerald and Anne Goodman (President & CEO, Cleveland Foodbank) - rallied the crowd to participate in this year's campaign.

Helyne Walker of Chagrin Falls Park Community Center, a Foodbank member agency, shared touching stories of families and children who have come to the Center's door seeking assistance.

The morning's activities were capped off with a shopping cart relay race and celebrity bagging contest featuring local media personalities. Representatives from local supermarket partners served as judges. Don "Action" Jackson from WMJI 105.7 FM was declared the winner, in a "photo finish," with help from the City of Cleveland. In total, eight teams - comprised of representatives from various Harvest for Hunger sponsors - vied for the title.

Harvest for Hunger is a 21-county food and funds drive held from February through the month of April, and is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Last year, over $3.5 million was raised, enough for 15 million meals. This year, with ever-increasing need, the goal is to raise enough food and funding for 16 million meals.

For more information on the Harvest for Hunger campaign, visit www.harvestforhunger.org.

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