Treat yourself to help others on World Food Day

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 15, 2015 /CNW/ - To mark World Food Day tomorrow, World Vision encourages Canadians to help take a bite out of global hunger by enjoying the most lavish meal they can afford.

The initiative is part of the international aid agency's #HungerFree campaign which invites people to share a meal with the ones they love, and then double up and donate what they spent on that meal to support food assistance programs for some of the world's most vulnerable people in Kenya, South Sudan and around the world.  

Quote:
"Eight hundred million people around the world are undernourished with children being the most affected. Children who are regularly hungry risk stunted growth, and could potentially become adults with diminished physical strength and mental capacity which will impact them for the rest of their lives. This year we're encouraging Canadians to participate in #HungerFree as a way to stand up to hunger and help these kids."
-Lon Wong, Manager of Student & Youth Engagement, World Vision Canada
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

How Canadians can double up and donate to help create a hunger free world:

• Sign up at hungerfree.org – show your support by joining the movement!
• Host a dinner party – have your friends over and double up by donating the cost of the meal to World Vision to help end hunger.
• Invite others – get your friends, family, church and community involved.
• Share what you're doing –share your favourite recipes, what you're doing to plan your dinner party, or why you are participating by using the #hungerfree hashtag across social media.

Quick Facts:

• The proportion of undernourished people in developing countries has fallen to approx. 12% over the past 15 years thanks to UN initiatives. We must get that number down to zero!
• An estimated 93% of people still living in extreme poverty (defined as living on less than US$1.25 a day) are found in countries that are either fragile or environmentally vulnerable or both.
• World Vision provides life-saving food assistance to 8 million hungry people annually in over 35 countries.

Media Resources:

Info on World Food Day	Info on World Vision's #HungerFree campaign
Photos of food from around the world	Videos of who the Hunger Free campaign is helping
Text "Hunger", 45678, to donate $20

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: "Meal time at a camp for internally displaced people in Twic County, South Sudan. Sept. 16, 2015. Photo/Andre Forget (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151015_C6614_PHOTO_EN_521483.jpg

For interviews contact: Brett Tarver - 647-825-2712 or [email protected]; Sarah Bartley - 647-843-2070 or [email protected]