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Release No. 0323.09

Contact: Office of Communication (202)720-4623

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Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan Highlights Obama Administration's
"United We Serve" Initiative in Ohio

CLEVELAND, July 20, 2009 – Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today took part in the Obama Administration's 'United We Serve' initiative by visiting the Cleveland Foodbank and touring the facility. Merrigan will also highlight that the food bank received almost 3 million pounds of USDA entitlement and bonus foods through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).

"President Obama's 'United We Serve' initiative is a call to Americans to help build the foundations of a better future for our country and I don't know of a better place to start than by working towards his goal of ending childhood hunger," said Merrigan. "Many communities in Ohio are finding it difficult to feed their families and it's the selfless acts and donations of our citizens together with the everyday efforts of the USDA that are preventing these families from going hungry."

The purpose of the 'United We Serve' initiative is to include volunteerism and community service activities into the daily lives of all Americans in order to strengthen the nation's foundation of service, one community at a time. The 'United We Serve' summer initiative began on June 22 and runs through the National Day of Service and remembrance on September 11.

The President's call to participate in this program focuses on four key areas where everyone can have a continuing impact in their community: education, health, energy and the environment and community renewal. All Americans can create news service projects, find service projects in their communities and to share stories about projects that are making a difference by visiting www.serve.gov .

The Cleveland Foodbank Inc. was founded in 1979 and provides food and critical nonfood products to local nonprofit agencies which serve hungry individuals across northeast Ohio. In 2008, it distributed 21.7 million pounds of food to 451 local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other agencies such as child-care centers and homes for the elderly in the counties of Cuyahoga, Ashland, Richland, Lake Geauga, and Ashtabula.


Last modified: 07/22/2009