Eblen Charities, Arby’s, Ingles collaborate to feed Buncombe County students during spring break

Press release from Eblen Charities:

(Asheville, NC): The Waddell Client Service Center was busier than usual this past week.

In addition to the great number of families the wonderful staff and volunteers of Eblen Charities serve each day, our tremendous volunteers spent dozen of hours separating food to be distributed to schools across the county for the Arby’s JoyFULL Home for the Holidays and the Ingles Food for Thought programs.

Those of you who are familiar with the work of Eblen Charities and our partnerships with Arby’s, the Brumit Restaurant Group, Ingles Markets, and our local school systems, have heard many times the important message we all continue to convey that when you are hungry nothing else matters.

As spring break is next week, Ingle’s, Arby’s, and Eblen again has taken up the challenge with our generous partners in our community and across the nation to help ensure that our students who were going hungry will now have enough to eat at home. But this year both the Arby’s JoyFull Holidays at Home and the Ingles Food for Thought programs have seen tremendous growth thanks to this unique partnership that has taken the lead in the fight against childhood hunger.

Headlock on Hunger is now entering its four year, and is being led by national chairman, Jim Ross, WWE Hall of Fame broadcaster, Fox Sports contributor and creator of The Ross Report podcast, Beth Copeland (Beth Phoenix) four-time world champion and WWE Hall of Fame inductee, and Adam Copeland (Edge) eleven-time world champion and WWE Hall of Fame inductee. Headlock on Hunger brings together the wrestling and MMA communities as well as public, private, and sports organizations to help provide meals for students who may not have enough to eat at home during the extended holiday breaks from school.

Hoops Against Hunger, headed by National Chairman and NBA All-Star Brad Daugherty, brings together the basketball community, the Southern Conference, along with public, private, and sports organizations, as well as local and national sponsors to help provide meals for students while away from school. More than 4,300 pounds of food was collected earlier this month through the Southern Conference Basketball Tournaments and the inaugural Hoops Against Hunger Host Hotel Challenge.

Huddle Against Hunger led by National Chairman and NFL star quarterback and former Congressman Heath Shuler to brings local high school and college football teams in joining the fight against childhood hunger.

During the football, wrestling and basketball seasons, local high school teams and teams from the Southern Conference collect food and cash donations for our student hunger programs. Buffalo Wild Wings in Asheville also hosts Headlock on Hunger / UFC Join the Fight Night shown at their restaurant as well as 10% of all sales going to Headlock on Hunger. Nearly a million and a half meals have been distributed to students in our community through these tremendous programs.

In addition to the food collected, students are able to visit any Arby’s in Buncombe County and receive a free Arby’s Healthy Kids Meal each day during the holiday breaks by presenting their Arby’s JoyFull Holidays at Home meal card that is generously provided by the Brumit Restaurant Group and Arby’s.

Additional food is also provided by Ingles Markets through the Food for Thought program.

According to the USDA 16 million children live in households that do not have an adequate supply of food, and almost 3 million of these children live in households that experience hunger. Research indicates that hungry children do more poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they are not well prepared for school and cannot concentrate.

More than 50% of students in Buncombe County Schools participate in the free or reduced lunch programs.

For more information, contact Bill Murdock at 828-242-2848, wmurdock@eblencahrities.org, or visit www.eblencharities.org.
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