Team Pound for Pound Challenge Concludes…2 Foodbankers Win Top Prize!

Norfolk, VA – The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia participated in Feeding America’s™ National Pound for Pound Challenge, sponsored by General Mills and The Biggest Loser.  Teams spent months taming their appetites so their weight loss would be converted into donations toward feeding the hungry of our region — and the results are in!  Two of the Foodbank’s phenomenal staff have won the overall weight loss challenge, losing an average of 7.36% of their total body weight (picture attached).  Bill Whiteway, one of the Foodbank’s truck drivers, and Executive Administrative Assistant Angela Robinson were both part of one of the Foodbank’s teams.  US Foodservice, Inc. employees also participated, along with another group organized by the Foodbank’s Kids Cafe Manager.  The winners of the team challenge were based on the greatest percentage of pounds lost to maintain fairness.

“This was a fun, healthy way to support our neighbors in need, and we’re excited about the results,” says Marianne Smith, Chief Development Officer of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.  “And don’t forget, individuals can still clip seals off specially-marked General Mills products until December 2009 as part of this campaign!”

Another aspect of the Challenge includes clipping Pound For Pound seals from specially-marked General Mills products (ending December 2009). For every pound lost and every seal received, General Mills will donate 10 cents to Feeding America; a portion of these funds will be given to your local food bank. 

The rewards for individual winners of the Team Challenge, besides personal health and helping those in need, are outstanding.  Virginia Fashion Week came on-board as a partner with some amazing sponsors:  a year-long membership to Bally’s Total Fitness, as well as prizes from Beverly’s Fine Fashions & Dan Ryan’s for Men, Ciao Bella & GHQ For Men hair design, INK…cosmetics, Beach Bright teeth whitening, Sunday’s Blue Box tanning, Coastal Massage Therapy, and an invitation to walk in the Virginia Fashion Week October 2009 runway show.

About Feeding America

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit www.feedingamerica.org.

About General Mills

One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more.  Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had FY2008 global net sales of US$ 14.9 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales.

About The Biggest Loser

The first reality series where everybody "loses," The Biggest Loser challenges and encourages overweight contestants to shed pounds in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000. Hosted by Alison Sweeney (Days of our Lives), the series provides the contestants with challenges, temptations, weigh-ins and eliminations until the final contestant remains to claim the title of "the biggest loser." Each team works out under the supervision of professional trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. The Biggest Loser is a production of Reveille LLC, 25/7 Productions and 3 Ball Productions.

"The Biggest Loser" series has become a worldwide hit airing in over 90 countries and produced in 25 countries. Since its debut in 2004, The Biggest Loser has also grown to become a standalone health and lifestyle brand by developing tools and products inspired by the show and approved by our doctors and experts. Anchored by its online diet and exercise subscription-based extension of the show, Biggestloserclub.com, The Biggest Loser Meal Plan, The New York Times best-selling books series, best-selling fitness DVD series, line of appliances, fitness equipment, protein supplements and countless other health and lifestyle based products, The Biggest Loser consumer products program has generated over $50 million in spending with presence at more than 25,000 major retailers to date. Check out www.biggestloser.com for more information.

About Virginia Fashion Week

Virginia Fashion Week provides a terrific opportunity for fashion designers to showcase their talent, and for retailers, restaurants, spas, media, and other facilities to promote their businesses. It also serves as a showcase for Virginia-based models to work in a professional, world-class event and is a major step in establishing the Hampton Roads area as a fashion-forward region! The slick designer shows feature professional models from Splash Model Management in a series of New York style runway presentations. Many of the models have worked in runway shows in NY, Miami, and abroad. Others have launched their careers to new levels after participating in VA Fashion Week.

About the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia

Since 1981, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, a member of Feeding America™, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network, and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, has been providing food for hungry people throughout Southeastern Virginia.  Since its inception, the Foodbank has distributed over 183 million pounds of food throughout its 3,500 square mile Southeastern Virginia service area which includes the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Franklin, and Virginia Beach as well as the counties of Southampton, Northampton, Sussex, Isle of Wight, and Accomack.  Since the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1, 2008, the Foodbank has served more than 300,000 individuals.  In comparison to the 250,000 individuals served last fiscal year, this dramatic increase indicates the growing need in our community.    For more information, visit www.foodbankonline.org.

Danielle Ayers
Communications Specialist/Grantwriter
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia