Fast food giant teams with US pop singer for hunger relief project

American singer Christina Aguilera is backing Yum! Brands annual world hunger relief initiative.

The pop superstar recently visited Rwanda where she saw the effects of hunger first hand and helped beneficiaries of the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) nutrition programmes. Aguilera served food to hungry children who walk miles to and from school each day to receive a hot meal. She also traveled to a refugee camp that houses more than 18,000 people living in small man-made huts.

Aguilera’s song, “Light Up the Sky,” also plays throughout a new World Hunger Relief public service announcement that airs on US television and online this month.

Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort is the world’s largest private sector hunger relief initiative, spanning more than 130 countries and territories, over 39,000 KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants and nearly 1.5 million employees. The initiative began in 2007 in an effort to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies.

In addition to the new public service announcement, Aguilera is raising awareness for the issue through new World Hunger Relief posters at KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants with the quote: “Together, we have the power to save lives and move from hunger to hope”.

The singer has served as global spokesperson for Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort since 2009 where her participation has helped raise millions for WFP and other hunger relief agencies. She also serves as an “Ambassador Against Hunger” for WFP where she has traveled on relief trips with the organization to Guatemala, Haiti and Rwanda.
“We believe that it is our privilege and responsibility to do everything we can to make a difference in global hunger and save lives,” said David Novak, Chairman and CEO, Yum! Brands, Inc. “Christina is an incredible spokesperson for World Hunger Relief, helping us raise global awareness and inspiring people to get involved.”

Since its beginning in 2007, Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort has raised nearly $150 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations and is helping to provide approximately 600 million meals and save the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world. Nearly 1.5 million of the Company’s employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered millions of hours to aid hunger relief efforts in communities worldwide.

Yum! is also addressing hunger across the US through its Harvest program. Since its launch over two decades ago, Harvest has become the largest prepared-food donation program in the world. Through Harvest, Yum! has donated nearly 160 million pounds of food, with a value of more than $700 million, to those at risk of hunger in the US.