April 8, 2014. Louisville, KY. – Louisville’s Dare to Care Food Bank will receive a total of $20,000 as part of a special honor at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s They’re Off! Luncheon. Since 1962, the Fifth Third Bank Silver Horseshoe Award has been awarded to various organizations and individuals who’ve made significant contributions in the community. The Festival chose Dare to Care as this year’s recipient as the food bank continually goes above and beyond to help in the fight against hunger here in Kentuckiana.
“Dare to Care leaves a lifelong impression on those it serves, helping them when they need it most,” said Mike Berry, KDF President & CEO. “Last year alone, they provided enough food for 13 million meals. We couldn’t think of an organization more fitting to receive this award.”
Fifth Third Bank is the title sponsor of the Silver Horseshoe Award. “Fifth Third Bank is proud to present the Silver Horseshoe award,” said Tom Partridge, President & CEO, Fifth Third Bank Kentucky. “With the help of organizations like Dare to Care, our hope is to eradicate hunger, so that not one child in our community goes to bed hungry. We can all work together to be a part of the solution. ”
As part of the award, a $5,000 check from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation will be presented to Dare to Care at the luncheon. Meijer is supporting the efforts of this prestigious award and triple matching those funds through the Meijer Simply Give initiative. Meijer will present Dare to Care with a Simply Give card for $15,000.
“The Meijer triple match effort for Simply Give is just the type of creative and generous support Dare to Care needs to help the one in six Kentuckiana families struggling with hunger,” said Brian Riendeau, executive director of Dare to Care Food Bank. “With the need for food assistance at record levels, great partners like Meijer help ensure that all our neighbors have the food they need for a healthy life. We are thrilled and honored to benefit from this wonderful generosity.”
From April 6 – April 12, every $10 Simply Give card purchased at one of Meijers six Louisville area stores will be triple matched, resulting in a $40 donation being given to one of six “pantry partners” in Kentuckiana. Meijer began its Simply Give program in November 2008 as a way to help restock the shelves of local food pantries throughout the Midwest. Since then, the program has generated nearly $8 million for those pantry partners to feed local families. Each of the retailer’s 204 stores partner with a local food pantry during each Simply Give campaign to ensure its customers’ generous donations remain local.
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
