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Local Partners Unite to Provide 400 Families with Food, Essentials, and Community Support
, /PRNewswire/ — Hunger remains a significant issue in communities throughout Northern Virginia, where thousands of families experience food insecurity. In response,StarKist, Feed the Children, Cornerstones, and Floris United Methodist Church hosted the Fifth Annual Resource Rally earlier today on the church campus in Herndon, VA, providing food and essentials to approximately 400 families facing hunger and hardship in the region.
“StarKist is proudly headquartered in Reston Town Center, and we are committed to taking action that helps strengthen communities across Northern Virginia and around the country,” said Michael Merritt Jr., Vice President, Head of Marketing & Innovation at StarKist. “Addressing food insecurity requires collaboration and a shared commitment to supporting families. Through today’s Resource Rally and our ongoing partnership with Feed the Children’s Put Child Hunger to Bed™ campaign, we have more than 30 StarKist employee volunteers helping provide children and families across Northern Virginia with nutritious food, essential resources and the support they need to rise and thrive.”
During the event, more than 50 regional business leaders, elected officials, StarKist employee volunteers, and community advocates came together to help address food insecurity along the Dulles Corridor. Volunteers distributed 400 Feed the Children family kits containing StarKist products, 25-pound boxes of shelf-stable food, 15-pound boxes of household essentials and personal care items, boxes of Avon products and additional resources. Each kit was designed to support a family of four, helping provide more than 8,300 meals to 400 households.
Millions of children in the U.S. experience food insecurity, yet hunger is a solvable challenge. Community events like the one held today highlight how collaboration and sustained support can help make a difference in the lives of children and families. StarKist, Feed the Children, and Cornerstones joined efforts for this year’s Resource Rally to help expand access to food and essential resources. Leading the global movement to end childhood hunger, Feed the Children believes that when nonprofits, businesses, and community partners align their efforts, it can help reduce barriers, strengthen families, and create lasting impact.
“For families facing hunger and hardship, every moment matters — and every meal matters,” said Emily Callahan, president and CEO of Feed the Children. “That’s why this work is so important and why partnerships like this one are so meaningful to us. Together with StarKist and community partners like Cornerstones, we can put food and essential resources directly into the hands of the families who need them most, so their children don’t just survive but thrive.”
“Food insecurity along the Dulles Corridor continues to rise,” said Shannon Steene, CEO of Cornerstones. “Federal layoffs, inflation, and rising costs for groceries, gas, and transportation are leading more families to turn to neighborhood pantries and feeding programs for support. Today, our community responded with remarkable compassion and generosity, rallying in a shared commitment to ensure no family faces food insecurity alone. We’re proud to partner with StarKist, Feed the Children, and Floris United Methodist Church in taking meaningful action toward food security in Fairfax and Loudoun counties. Together, we are making a real difference for families who need it most.”
StarKist Extends Support Through Feed the Children’s Put Child Hunger to Bed™ Campaign
Additionally, StarKist is currently supporting Feed the Children’s Put Child Hunger to Bed™ campaign through a multi-month initiative running from May 1 through September 30. During this time, StarKist will donate one pouch for every eligible purchase of a StarKist Tuna pouch, up to 100,000 pouches, and will match consumer donations $1 for $1, up to $100,000. These contributions support Feed the Children’s ongoing efforts to help provide food, essential items, and educational resources to children and families experiencing hunger and hardship, helping children go to bed nourished, supported, and ready to rise and thrive.
Learn more or donate at https://starkist.com/feedthechildren/.
Over the past 15 years, StarKist has donated more than 1.2 million pounds of protein-rich tuna and chicken products, representing nearly $4.9 million in product donations and an additional $985,000 in monetary support to help food-insecure children and families across the U.S. Through its relationship with Feed the Children, StarKist has supported more than 20 Resource Rally events nationwide, including responses during times of disaster and emergency. These efforts build on StarKist’s long-standing commitment to addressing hunger, dating back to 1917 when the company helped meet the nation’s protein needs during World War I.
About StarKist Co.
StarKist Co. is a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient nutritious proteins. An industry innovator, StarKist was the first brand to introduce convenient single-serve pouch products, which include StarKist Tuna Creations®, Salmon Creations®, and Chicken Creations®in over 40 varieties. As America’s favorite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust, and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist’s charismatic brand icon, Charlie The Tuna®, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.
About Feed the Children
Feed the Children is a global movement working to end childhood hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Together with communities, the organization provides food, essentials, and opportunities to children and families who need them most so every child can survive and thrive. Learn more at feedthechildren.org.
Feed the Children | Create a world where no child goes to bed hungry
About Cornerstones
Since 1970, Cornerstones has worked to promote stability, empowerment, and hope through support, advocacy, and community-building for individuals and families in need in the Northern Virginia region. Cornerstones’ dedicated team connects people facing hardship with life-changing resources while addressing the root causes of homelessness and poverty to help build strong, stable families, and resilient communities. Cornerstones provides an average of 26,000 instances of service annually in Fairfax County. In 2023, Cornerstones began expanding services into Loudoun County to meet the growing region’s needs. To learn more about our programs and ways to get involved, please visitcornerstonesva.org.
Campaign Disclaimer:
*From 5/1/26-9/30/26, for every purchase of a StarKist Tuna Pouch (any size, any type, any flavor) StarKist will donate one pouch of StarKist branded products (selected by StarKist in its sole discretion) to Feed the Children, up to 100,000 pouches. In addition, from 5/1/26-9/30/26, for each $1 donated to Feed the Children by consumers through the landing page, StarKist will donate $1 to Feed the Children, up to $100,000. Feed the Children is a global nonprofit headquartered at: 333 N. Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, Phone: 1-800-627-4556, with a mission committed to ending childhood hunger.
Media Contacts:
StarKist: Michelle Ford Faist / 571-441-8096 / [emailprotected]
Feed the Children: Richard Presser / 405-247-0345 / [emailprotected]
Cornerstones: Margaret Anne Lara / 571-323–9575 / [emailprotected]
SOURCE StarKist Co.