FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA RELEASE

Roadrunner Food Bank

CONTACT: Jasmin Holmstrup

505-247-2052, ext 129

505-306-5203 (cell)

"SANTA KIDS" PROVIDE BRIGHT CHRISTMAS FOR 280 CHILDREN

Roadrunner Food Bank and Wal-Mart

Team Up To Benefit Food For Kids Families

Albuquerque, NM - December 12, 2006 – This Christmas will be a lot brighter for 280 of New Mexico’s neediest children.  Wal-Mart and Roadrunner Food Bank have teamed up with six Albuquerque area children to be “Santa Kids” and purchase gifts for other children.  The 280 children to receive the gifts have been chosen from Roadrunner Food Bank’s Food For Kid’s program, which provides weekly backpacks of nutritious foods to elementary aged school children in low-income schools.

“We’re extremely excited about being able to provide gifts to our Food for Kids recipients. These children are among the neediest in our community. Our thanks to Wal-Mart for providing this opportunity to brighten these children’s Christmas’ morning,” said Melody Wattenbarger, Executive Director Roadrunner Food Bank.  “For the children chosen to be Santa Kids, hopefully this experience will inspire lifelong giving and volunteering.”

The six “Santa Kids” were winners of an essay contest sponsored by Wal-Mart.  Each wrote an essay explaining why they would like to help a child in need this holiday season.  On Wednesday, December 13, 2006, the Santa Kids will shop with a team of helpers to purchase gifts for the recipient.  Each Santa Kid will have $1,000 and a wish list for the children assigned to them.  Gifts will then be wrapped and delivered to 35 area schools for distribution to the families on Friday, December 15, 2006.

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About the Roadrunner Food For Kids Program:  Roadrunner Food Bank’s Food for Kids program is an emergency food assistance program designed for elementary school-aged children.  Each week, backpacks filled with kid-friendly, nutritious foods are distributed to over 2700 children in 35 area low-income schools.  New Mexico leads the nation in childhood poverty with 27.5%, with an alarming rate of 25% of children regularly missing meals.  Over 54% of New Mexican children are eligible for free and reduced lunches.  Roadrunner Food Bank's Food for Kids program targets children who otherwise would go without food over the weekend – because no child should go hungry – ever.

Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico is New Mexico’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to ending hunger in New Mexico.  Last year Roadrunner Food Bank distributed more than 14 million pounds of food through a statewide network of over 700 partner agencies and seven regional food banks. Roadrunner Food Bank converts every $1 donated into $13 of fresh produce, bread, meat and non-perishables for hungry New Mexicans.  Roadrunner Food Bank is the  only America’s Second Harvest—the Nation’s Food Bank Network member in New Mexico. Roadrunner Food Bank has distributed more than 135 million pounds of food since 1980.  For more information about Roadrunner Food Bank and its programs visit www.rrfb.org