The San Diego County Hilton Family of Hotels will present a check to the San Diego Food Bank totaling $140,000.
In response to the San Diego Food Bank's appeal for help to meet the exponential increase in demand from families hit by the economic crisis, the La Jolla Hilton hosted a gala dinner in November for the San Diego Food Bank and the Network for Healthy California - a state sponsored nutrition agency.
Over 26 chefs and 100 staff members from 26 Hilton hotels across the county volunteered at the event and spent countless man hours organizing the international tasting gala and silent auction.
Over 200 of San Diego County businesses donated 125 auction items ranging from European Vacations to Cute Beagle puppies.
Commenting on such a significant financial contribution at a time when the Food Bank's supplies are running dangerously low the San Diego Food Bank's CEO J. Scofield Hage said, "It would be an understatement to say that the Board of Directors and I were overwhelmed by the level of commitment shown by the San Diego County Hilton Family of Hotels' staff and their dedication to establishing gala.
While the idea of hosting an international tasting gala was formed before the economic malaise hit our county, I am proud to say that the organizers Ewell Sterner and Ann Marie Kimble with the help of their capable team carried on their commitment to hosting the gala despite the deepening recession and amidst a climate in the community which would have deterred even the most veteran of charitable organizations."
Funds raised by the Hunger at Home gala will be used to shore up the Food Bank's dangerously low food supply that has been depleted by the huge surge in demand from families affected by the economic crisis.
In the first quarter of this year the San Diego Food Bank distributed 8% more donated food than it received. In the second quarter of this year this figure increased to 21% and the SDFB currently has a seven week supply of food remaining. Since January over 17,000 people have signed up to the Food Bank's Emergency Food Program, an increase of 45%.
A portion of the proceeds will also fund a new "Adopt-a-Chef Program" where Hilton Family chefs will adopt low-income schools to teach students how to cook nutritious food, grow school gardens and provide nutrition education to low-income parents. This will be organized by the Network for a Healthy California, a beneficiary of the event.
The San Diego County Hilton Family of Hotels, led by the Torrey Pines Hilton have established a corporate charitable arm called Hunger at Home which will work in partnership with the San Diego Food Bank and the Network for a Healthy California to provide food and education to families in need.
