Celebrate World Food Day, October 16, by sharing a Meaningful Meal with the people you love

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 12, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadians across the country are celebrating World Food Day, October 16, by hosting a #HungerFree Meaningful Meal. They will bring friends together around their table, or share a meal at their favourite restaurant, and use their grocery or restaurant bill as a donation guide. In doing this, people will celebrate food they love and make a donation to provide food through World Vision's work in countries around the world.

Food is more than sustenance, there is a powerful emotional connection we have with it. Access to our favourite food provides dignity, security and plays an important role in how we connect with others.

World Vision is hoping to see 250 Meaningful Meals shared across the country to help raise enough money to provide 530 tonnes of food to vulnerable children and families in developing countries.

Quick Facts:

• World Vision is a global leader in fighting hunger.
• We have enough food to feed everyone; the world produces enough food to feed more than 10 billion people, that's about 1.5 times the global population.
• We are seeing progress in this fight, and can keep making a difference. Despite a growing population, there are fewer hungry people in the world now than in 1990.
• Last year World Vision distributed 161,000 tonnes of food in 33 countries to help children and families fight hunger and malnutrition.

What Canadians can do:

• Host a Meaningful Meal on World Food Day (October 16) and use your grocery bill or restaurant bill as a guide of how much you could donate to World Vision's food work.  
• Celebrate food and hope for a hunger-free world by following and sharing #HungerFree stories on social media.
• Visit hungerfree.ca

World Vision is a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

SOURCE World Vision Canada

Image with caption: "Canadians are celebrating World Food Day by hosting a Meaningful Meal and making a donation to help World Vision provide food access in developing countries. (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161012_C4124_PHOTO_EN_794430.jpg

For interviews contact: Genevieve Barber, 416.671.0086, [email protected]; Sarah Bartley, 289.242.1733, [email protected]