The Kraft Foods Garden, located at the company's headquarters near Chicago, will produce 14,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables every year for those facing hunger in the community - the equivalent of 28,000 meals. (PRNewsFoto/Kraft Foods)

/PRNewswire/ - Entire harvest will be donated to local hunger-relief organizations

The fruits and vegetables now growing on the campus of Kraft Foods global headquarters near Chicago will soon be breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the hungry in northern Illinois. Together with the Chicago Botanic Garden, Kraft Foods today unveiled a three-season fruit and vegetable garden, bringing the company's fight against hunger to its own soil. The Kraft Foods Garden will produce an estimated 14,000 pounds of food every year -- the equivalent of 28,000 meals.

"As the world's second largest food company, we have a responsibility to fight hunger around the globe -- including in our own backyard," said Marc Firestone, brainchild of the project and Kraft Foods' Executive Vice President, Corporate & Legal Affairs and General Counsel. "This garden is another way our employees can volunteer their time to make a delicious difference in our community, while establishing a sustainable method of fighting hunger right here in Illinois."

All of the food harvested from the Kraft Foods Garden will be donated to local agencies, including soup kitchens and food pantries in the networks of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank, in addition to Women, Infant and Children (WIC) centers in Cook and Lake Counties.

This morning, executives from Kraft Foods and the Chicago Botanic Garden planted a cherry tree together in the 8,000-square-foot garden, surrounded by the dozens of crops already growing. Crops include organically grown lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beets, cucumbers and many more varieties of nutritious produce, among the most in-demand items at hunger-relief organizations.

"We are thrilled to partner with Kraft Foods in a program that utilizes our expertise in urban sustainable vegetable gardening," said Sophia Siskel, president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden. "This innovative partnership will benefit families in our community who lack access to fresh produce. It's also creating jobs for skilled workers in urban horticulture."

The Kraft Foods Garden has been installed and will be maintained by Chicago Botanic Garden's Windy City Harvest program with help from Kraft Foods employee volunteers. The Windy City Harvest Program is a nine-month skills-training and job-placement program. Participants are enrolled in City Colleges of Chicago and earn an advanced continuing education certificate in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture.

Since 2009, Windy City Harvest has partnered with Cook County Boot Camp to provide extended educational, rehabilitation and occupational opportunities for nonviolent offenders reentering society. Cook County Boot Camp graduates, who are working as transitional Chicago Botanic Garden employees, will be part of the Kraft Foods Garden crew. A Windy City Harvest graduate will supervise the entire crew.

In addition, staff from the Windy City Harvest Program will be teaching a series of gardening classes to Kraft Foods employees over the next several months to support engagement in the Kraft Foods Garden and to encourage gardening at home.

About Kraft Foods
The company and the Kraft Foods Foundation have donated more than $1 billion in cash and food to hunger-relief organizations over the past 25 years. Through support of partners, including Save the Children, Feeding America, INMED Partnerships for Children, Charities Aid Federation and CARE, the company and Foundation support programs on almost every continent.

Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. Proudly marketing delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft Foods had 2010 revenue of $49.2 billion, more than half of which was earned outside North America. Eleven of the company's iconic brands -- including Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia and Trident -- generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually, and 40 have been loved for more than a century. A leader in innovation, marketing, health & wellness and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more information, visit kraftfoodscompany.com and facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

About Chicago Botanic Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens and four natural areas. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. Located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill., the Garden is smoke free. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago's North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

-- make today delicious --

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