DAYTONA BEACH, FL – AARP Foundation this weekend launched the 2014 Drive to End Hunger season at the Daytona International Speedway by hosting 300 volunteers at a meal packing event that produced 20,000 meals for older Floridians. The event, which like the Daytona 500 had to deal with a rain delay, benefitted the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and was the first of a series this year sponsored by Chase.

“This weekend's storms didn't allow me to participate, but they didn't stop some amazing NASCAR fans from packing meals to help hungry older Americans put food on the table," said Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports.  "I’m looking forward to seeing some familiar faces – and meeting new ones – at Drive to End Hunger events across the country this season.”

Building on the program’s three-year track record of volunteer engagement, Drive to End Hunger will focus this year on offering individuals with localized opportunities to help fight older adult hunger in their own communities.  Visitors to the Drive to End Hunger mobile display, which will appear at select NASCAR races and other events throughout the year, can earn personalized Hunger Hero Cards by signing up to volunteer near their homes, become social media advocates, or make a donation.

“There are nearly nine million Americans ages 50+ who have to make impossible decisions, like choosing to feed their families or keep a roof over their heads,” said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, AARP Foundation president.  “By getting involved in this weekend’s meal packing event, these tremendous volunteers are helping people in their own communities. By staying involved, they’ll be the heart of long-term solutions that prevent others from going hungry in the future.”

This is the fourth year that Chase and its AARP Credit Card program have joined Drive to End Hunger. 

“Chase is proud to announce that we are donating more than 100,000 meals in 2014,” said Mike Rittler, general manager, Chase.  “As part of Chase's support of the fight to end hunger among older Americans, we will also raise up to $1 million for the cause in 2014 through our AARP Credit Card from Chase."

Drive to End Hunger is the national effort by AARP and AARP Foundation to help the millions of older Americans who face hunger across the United States.  Drive to End Hunger is not only raising awareness of the problem, but also the funds to fight it.  Drive to End Hunger engages organizational and individual sponsors across the country, as well as funds innovative programs with promising results that can be applied elsewhere to prevent hunger.  

Hendrick Motorsports joined with AARP and AARP Foundation in a multi-year agreement to make Drive to End Hunger the first cause-based primary sponsor in NASCAR.  The 2014 season will be the fourth in which Gordon will drive the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS in 22 races, including the Daytona 500.

Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger, it has donated nearly 30 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of approximately $21 million.  All contributions to Drive to End Hunger go to support the hunger solutions of AARP Foundation.  

To learn more or get involved, please visit www.DriveToEndHunger.org.  Continue the conversation or share your story at www.facebook.com/DriveToEndHunger or on Twitter using #endhunger and @Drive2EndHunger.    

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About AARP Foundation

AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people, strengthen communities, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is AARP’s affiliated charity. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org.

About Chase

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.5 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Chase serves more than 50 million consumers and four million small businesses through more than 5,500 bank branches, 17,500 ATMs, credit cards, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.comand @Chase.

CONTACT
Jim Dau
jdau@aarp.org
(202) 434-2530