As part of the Yum! Brands annual project entitled World Hunger Relief campaign from November to January, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell had raised Php 6,138,722 or $145, 000 and it will be given to World Food Programme (WFP) in support to its project in Central Mindanao. WFP Country Director and Representative Stephen Anderson together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Ambassador for Poor Children’s Rights and Welfare and Pizza Hut endorser Venus Raj receives the funds that will help the joint projects of WFP and DSWD in Mindanao that includes emergency school feeding program and recovery assistance to the Typhoon Sendong (Washi) affected families within the area. The turn over happens at the Pizza Hut branch in Cubao, Quezon City and joined by the Cristy Ramos, Vice President for Finance of the Philippine Pizza Inc and Parisya Taradji, Undersecretary, Operations and Capacity Building Group of the DSWD.
Around 155 Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants joined and help raised funds for the World Hunger Relief project. In Pizza Hut, costumer who donated Php 40 or more received a Christmas postcard featuring World Hunger Relief Volunteer and 2010 Ms. Universe 4th Runner Up Venus Raj. While in Taco Bell, Php 10 were donated to the World Hunger Relief project for every purchase of a special meal dedicated to supporting school meals programmes. Contributions were also collected in nationally distributed donation boxes.
As part of the efforts, WFP, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell awarded six of the branches who excel in this humanitarian campaign including Taco Bell branches like TriNoma Mall and Express, and Pizza Hut branches in SM San Lazaro, Ayala Cebu, SM Manila and Robinson’s Place Ermita. During the last year’s World Hunger Relief project Pizza Hut donated P4, 5 Million that provided 450, 000 meals for 80, 000 primary school children. And now with almost 50% increase from last year, the funds raised will be helping more in Central Mindanao from school meals, nutrition and recovery assistance.
Since it was launched in 2007, the World Hunger Relief project under Yum! Brands raised funds nearly to $85 Million for WFP and other hunger fighting organizations providing more than 350 million meals, and saving the lives of millions of people in 39 countries. Yum! Brands restaurants that participated on this project globally include KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s and A&W Restaurants. Singer and WFP Ambassador Christina Aguilera joined the said campaign in 2009 and 2010.
