Kohl's Announces $750,000 Donation to Hunger Task Force to Reduce Food Insecurity in Milwaukee
Funding will address current food supply shortfalls through food donations, as well as support Hunger Task Force’s 60+ food pantries across the city and provide thousands of free meals to kids during this summer
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., February 8, 2023 – Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) announced today a $750,000 donation to Hunger Task Force to further the organization’s mission of ensuring everyone in the Milwaukee community has access to nutritious food at no cost. The grant, which is a continuation of Kohl’s and Hunger Task Force’s 14-year partnership, will address current food donation shortages with the delivery of 10 truckloads of food to ensure the nonprofit can continue to meet demand. Funding will also help ensure an average of 31,000 individuals a month have access to free, healthy food options by supporting Hunger Task Force’s network of 68 food pantries, homeless shelters, senior dining sites, and soup kitchens, and provide kids free meals this summer through the Milwaukee Summer Meals program.
“The work Hunger Task Force does on a daily basis to help local families through their network of food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, The Farm, and more is truly inspiring and impactful,” said Tara Geiter, Kohl’s director of community relations. “As a proud member of this community for more than 60 years, we’re honored to be in a position to continue our partnership with Hunger Task Force and support their critical efforts to feed kids and families throughout Milwaukee.”
According to Hunger Task Force, approximately 30 percent of children in Milwaukee live in poverty and struggle with hunger, while 1 in 4 adults also live in poverty. As Milwaukee’s free and local food bank, Hunger Task Force feeds nearly 75,000 people in their food pantries, homeless shelters, and senior dining sites, and serves 35,000 meals in soup kitchens each month.
"We're grateful for the support of Kohl's and their incredible team of volunteers who help ensure healthy meals are on the tables of kids, families, and seniors," said Sherrie Tussler, executive director of Hunger Task Force. "We have all seen and experienced the effects of rising food and gas prices in our community, and now, with the ending of COVID FoodShare payments, many families and seniors will need additional help with food and Hunger Task Force and our network of food pantries will need support to help them."
The $750,000 donation from Kohl’s builds on the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting the work Hunger Task Force is doing to reduce food insecurity in Milwaukee. In 2022 alone, thanks to the support of Kohl’s, Hunger Task Force was able to:
Distribute 9.5 million pounds of nutritious emergency food to its network of food pantries and meal programs.
Provide nearly 28,000 child and adult meals as part of the Milwaukee Summer Meals program.
Deliver more than 4,000 Baby Badger Boxes filled with fresh and healthy food for families.
Since 2009, Kohl’s and Kohl’s Cares have committed more than $10 million to Hunger Task Force’s vital mission. Additionally, Kohl’s associates have volunteered more than 9,000 hours to sort food, build Stockboxes for local seniors, and help at the Hunger Task Force Farm. And in 2022, Kohl’s volunteers also supported the first-ever “Combo Build” in Hunger Task Force’s new Volunteer Action Center, where they built more than 500 Stockboxes and sorted more than 20,000 pounds of food in a single afternoon. Kohl’s has also provided more than $340,000 in additional funding to Hunger Task Force in recognition of these associate volunteer efforts through the Kohl’s Volunteer Program.
For more than 60 years, Kohl’s has been a proud member of the Milwaukee community. In support of its hometown community, the company has given more than $144 million to nonprofits in the Greater Milwaukee area. In addition to long-standing hometown partnerships with nonprofits who are making a difference in the community every day, Kohl’s also gives back through its Hometown Giving Program, and recognizes associate volunteer efforts for causes and organizations they care about through the Kohl’s Volunteer Program. To learn more, please visit Corporate.Kohls.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “plans,” or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks described more fully in Item 1A in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Item 1A of Part II of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, which are expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in the Company’s filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements relate to the date initially made, and Kohl’s undertakes no obligation to update them.
About Kohl’s
Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading omnichannel retailer. With more than 1,100 stores in 49 states and the online convenience of Kohls.com and the Kohl's App, Kohl's offers amazing national and exclusive brands at incredible savings for families nationwide. Kohl’s is uniquely positioned to deliver against its strategy and its vision to be the most trusted retailer of choice for the active and casual lifestyle. Kohl’s is committed to progress in its diversity and inclusion pledges, and the company's environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) stewardship. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit Kohls.com. For more information about Kohl’s impact in the community or how to join our winning team, visit Corporate.Kohls.com or follow @KohlsNews on Twitter.
About Hunger Task Force
Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization provides healthy and nutritious food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force was founded in 1974 by a local advocacy group who then formed Milwaukee’s first food bank. Today, Hunger Task Force is 100 percent supported by the community and provides a safety net of emergency food with dignity to a network of 68 food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. Through legislative analysis, education and community organizing, Hunger Task Force continues to advocate for anti-hunger policy at the local, state, and federal level. For those looking to make a donation or volunteer, please visit hungertaskforce.org.
Media Contact:
Kohl’s: Jackie Judkins, jacquelyn.judkins@kohls.com
Hunger Task Force: Shahree Douglas, shahree.douglas@hungertaskforce.org
