The BCW Joins “Go Orange to End Hunger” Campaign

County and city officials, community members, business leaders and supporters — many wearing orange — today joined with Feeding Westchester to help the county’s leading hunger relief organization kick off Hunger Action Month with the 5th annual “Go Orange to End Hunger” Campaign.

Orange is the color for Hunger Action Month in September, which was established by Feeding America in 2008 as a nationwide push to increase awareness of the hunger crisis across the country. During September, people everywhere from all walks of life help to feed those in need in their neighborhoods, working to ensure that people who live with hunger every day can get needed support.

As part of the Hunger Action Month kick off, Feeding Westchester announced the appointment of Sue Norton, Vice President of Global Citizenship and Sustainability for PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) and Vice President of the PepsiCo Foundation, as Board Chair. Norton has been a Feeding Westchester board member for 5 years and succeeds Maria Bronzi, who served as board chair for the previous three years.

“Sue is the perfect choice to lead us as we continue to solve the hunger problem in Westchester County,” said Leslie Gordon, president & CEO of Feeding Westchester. “She is smart, and strategic. Sue is always ready, willing and able to lead by example. We couldn’t ask for a better person for this important role.”

“I’m honored to be appointed board chair of Feeding Westchester and to begin my tenure at the kick-off of Hunger Action Month, a time to gain needed support for hungry members of our community and help realize the potential of our community when hunger is no longer holding back our children and families” said Sue Norton. “As a Westchester native, I’m tremendously proud of how Feeding Westchester serves as a model for how to fight hunger and feed the immense potential of our neighbors.”

Feeding Westchester has campaigned Hunger Action Month in the county for several years where 20 percent of the population, or 1 in 5 residents face food insecurity. “We are ‘Painting Westchester Orange’ this September to make hunger top of mind and encourage everyone to get involved in any way they can,” said Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Feeding Westchester. “Many of our neighbors do not have enough to eat right here in Westchester. Hunger Action Month starts by taking action against hunger. All you need to do is help raise awareness of hunger as a problem. Besides visibly promoting the color orange, individuals can also host food drives, take part in volunteer efforts, and make monetary donations to help to battle this epidemic in our neighborhoods.”

During today’s press conference, Feeding Westchester announced a month-long calendar of activities around hunger awareness. In addition, government officials and community leaders announced ways they would support the campaign throughout the month. In attendance at today’s press conference, Feeding Westchester was joined by County Executive George Latimer, New York State Senator Andrea Stuart-Cousins, New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano,  New York State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, Mount Vernon Deputy Commissioner of Planning Sylvia Bolivar, Business Council of Westchester’s John Ravitz and DSS Commissioner Kevin McGuire. To learn more about Hunger Action Month and for a complete listing of activities and ways to help, please visit www.feedingwestchester.org.