Food Related Programs (Food Insecurity, Nutrition Education, Healthy and Active Lifestyles)

Sara Lee Corporation is a Chicago-based manufacturer and marketer of high quality brand-name products. Much of Sara Lee's sales come from life's material necessities such as food, so Sara Lee feels a special responsibility to address the significant issue of domestic hunger in its giving.

The Sara Lee Foundation places funding priority on grants to nonprofits that create collaborative and innovative initiatives focused on fighting domestic hunger. Food insecurity is a critical issue and significant consideration is given to programs that focus on food rescue, providing increased access to fresh produce and protein, meal programs when schools are not in session (as for many students, school lunch is their only meal of the day), and hunger awareness.

Programs and projects that are most competitive are those which clearly address domestic hunger and serve the larger community, specifically where Sara Lee operates. Programs can have dual purposes such as providing job training where individuals learn essential skills for careers in the food industry and where the prepared food is then distributed to students or seniors. Another example may include innovative community gardening programs where the fresh produce is distributed to individuals living in food deserts, farmers markets and combined with initiatives that help enroll eligible individuals in Federal nutrition programs. These are simply two examples and the Sara Lee Foundation is continually inspired by the many innovative programs that address domestic hunger in the communities where Sara Lee operates. We look forward to hearing about the unique programs that the nonprofit sector has created to address the significant issue of domestic hunger.

Nonprofit programs focused on addressing other important societal issues such as homelessness, recovery programs and domestic violence shelters that also provide meals at residential facilities are not considered competitive.

To be considered for support, a prospective applicant must first submit an Online Letter of Intent. For instructions on how to apply, please follow the link to our Giving Guidelines. To read about some of the groups and projects we have funded recently, follow the links below:

AIDS Foundation of Chicago
America's Second Harvest of Greater St. Joseph
American Indian Center
Association House of Chicago
Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi
Center On Halsted
Chicago Botanic Garden
Chicago Home and Aid Society of Illinois
Chinese American Service League
Common Threads
DuPage Senior Citizens Council
Feeding America
Food Research and Action Center
FreeStore-FoodBank
Girl Scouts of Chicago
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Growing Home
Harvesters - The Community Food Network
Howard Area Community Center
Humanitarian Service Project
Metrocrest Social Services
Mississippi Food Network
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
People's Resource Center
Robert Crown Center for Health Education
San Francisco Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater St. Joseph
Teen Parent Connection
Utah Food Bank
Vital Bridges