LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Kentucky Fried Chicken® announced it will donate 621,000 pounds of food to food banks across the country, enough food to provide more than 600,000 meals for people in need, through its Harvest program. Including this large, one-time donation, KFC will have provided 1.2 million pounds of food already this year to help combat the critical shortages at food banks across the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
KFC has been donating surplus food from its U.S. restaurants in partnership with Food Donation Connection for more than 20 years through the Harvest Program, KFC's prepared food donation program. Through Harvest, participating KFC restaurants donate wholesome, unsold food to hunger relief agencies in communities across the U.S. So far in 2020 alone, KFC restaurants have donated 652,579 pounds of food to 757 local charities in 48 states through the Harvest program, and this critical work continues during this time of increased food insecurity.
Since it began Harvest in 1999, KFC restaurants have donated more than 82 million pounds of food to organizations that feed individuals in need through organizations like Louisville, Ky.-based Kentucky Harvest, a valued partner since 2000, which has received more than 968,000 pounds of prepared food donated from KFC.
"So many Americans are facing unexpected challenges, but hunger should never be one of them. As we continue to navigate this crisis, we remain committed to our core values – among them is keeping America fed," said Kevin Hochman, president, KFC U.S. "With our restaurant buffets currently unavailable to dine-in customers, it has created a unique opportunity for us to reallocate our resources on a large scale to feed those in need and address critical shortages in food banks. Rather than letting this food remain in distribution centers, we wanted to mobilize it quickly to help."
KFC franchisees have also been feeding frontline workers, families and children in need, and making sizeable donations to area food banks. The Pete and Arline Harman Trust Fund has committed to a $100,000 donation spread across food banks in Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. Pete Harman was KFC's first franchisee and his organization remains one of KFC's largest franchisees in the U.S.
In the wake of COVID-19, KFC has also made the following commitments to support its people, communities and franchisees:
- Continuing to keep America fed: KFC is open and ready to feed your family. KFC is offering free delivery for a limited time (minimum $20 order) with contactless delivery available, in addition to remaining open for drive-thru and carry-out.
- Increased safety measures for customers and team members: KFC recently announced new measures to increase the health and safety of consumers and employees across the U.S. including:
- Distribution of thermometers with infrared contactless temperature scanners to every restaurant, and implantation of temperature checks for every employee prior to their shift start.
- Distribution of non-surgical, single-use masks for restaurant team members across the U.S.
- Instillation of acrylic front counter shields in restaurants, providing a safety barrier between team members and guests.
- Using a drive-thru extender payment pad to further limit contact between customers and employees.
- Supporting our team members: KFC franchisees, many of whom are small, local business owners all over the country have been working to support and celebrate their individual teams through bonuses, hourly pay increases, meals for their employees and their families, pay continuation for employees impacted by COVID-19, and a variety of other financial incentives. In addition, they joined forces to create a Grocery Assistance Fund through the KFC Foundation to provide $500,000 worth of groceries to team members across its more than 4,000 U.S. restaurants to celebrate and support its workforce.
- Feeding our communities: KFC recently donated one million pieces of chicken to provide relief to communities in need, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the donation, KFC franchisees across the country were able to provide meals to organizations of their choice in their local communities. In addition to the one million pieces of chicken donation, KFC franchisees have been stepping up their relief efforts across the country, donating thousands of meals to frontline healthcare workers, feeding families in need and providing meals to essential workers.
- Supporting children in need: In March, KFC announced a $400,000 donation to Blessings in a Backpack to provide meals to children who may otherwise go hungry due to school closures.
- Providing relief to franchisees: KFC will grant franchisees a 60-day grace period on current royalties. KFC parent company Yum! Brands (including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) has also deferred all 2020 capital obligations for remodels and new unit development through the end of this year.
For more information about KFC's efforts to support franchisees, employees and customers during the coronavirus pandemic, please visit www.kfc.com/coronavirus.
About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky Grilled Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Tenders, Hot Wings®, KFC Famous Bowls®, Pot Pies, freshly hand prepared chicken sandwiches, biscuits and homestyle side items. There are more than 24,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kfc), Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/KFC).
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