/PRNewswire/ - The Kraft Foods Foundation is expanding its global effort to encourage healthy lifestyles, investing more than $7 million in new programs in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

"We can help improve public health by focusing on our mission to fight hunger and promote healthy lifestyles across the globe. These four extraordinary programs will help bring that to life across Europe," said Nicole Robinson, Vice President of the Kraft Foods Foundation. "We're proud to partner with respected local organizations whose work at the ground level allows us to meet the unique needs of each community."

The Kraft Foods Foundation is teaming up with Save the Children Italy, the French Red Cross, Klasse2000 in Germany and the Alicia Foundation in Spain. Each program will tackle some of each country's greatest health challenges by focusing on nutrition education, health and wellness, active living and more.

Expanding Access to Fresh Food in France
To increase access to fresh, nutritious food, the Kraft Foods Foundation is funding the addition of 220 refrigeration units to French Red Cross locations across the country. This will allow for the distribution of critical items, including fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat. Over the next three years, the units are expected to help distribute up to 50 million more meals to those in need. This comes at a critical time for the French Red Cross, which has seen a large increase in need over the past several years.

In addition, the Foundation will help fund a pilot program to implement a nutrition education workshop in 30 French Red Cross locations. Attendees will learn how to cook affordable, healthy meals for their families.

Teaching Kids and Parents about Healthy Living across Germany
In partnership with Klasse2000, the Kraft Foods Foundation will launch more than 800 healthy lifestyle classes for first through fourth graders in elementary schools across Germany, reaching 20,000 children over the next five years. This expansion will be one of the largest for Klasse2000, the leading organization in Germany for in-school health programs.

Class topics include nutrition, exercise, relaxation, life skills and saying no to tobacco and alcohol. Parents are also involved in the program and support children with take-home activities.

Providing Italian Children with the Tools to Stay Fit
With nearly a quarter of Italian children facing a weight problem, the Foundation aims to help increase physical activity and improve eating for children across Italy in partnership with Save the Children. Healthy living classes are launching in 10 Italian cities to benefit at-risk communities. At elementary schools, sports facilities, parks and community centers, children, parents and teachers will learn about leading healthier lives. In addition, the funding will help improve sports facilities, including playgrounds, gyms and recreational centers, in order to increase physical activities in the at-risk communities.

Class activities will include exercise, workshops on nutrition and healthy eating, sports activities and games, with a goal to teach children that staying fit and healthy can be simple and fun. Over the next three years, the program will benefit more than 66,000 people, including 32,000 children.

Inspiring Students to Help Improve Eating and Get Moving in Spain
The Alicia Foundation has long been committed to working with schools in Spain to improve healthy eating habits. According to the International Association for Obesity, two in 10 children in Spain are obese, a number that has nearly doubled over the past 20 years. With the Alicia Foundation, the Kraft Foods Foundation will reach more than 30,000 children, parents and teachers in 100 schools over the next three years with in-school health education programs and cooking workshops.

The program will require students to track their daily food intake and exercise routine, with the results reported back to the class as a whole. Together, students will analyze the data and then collaborate to generate solutions to improve eating and exercise at school and at home. The 10 winning proposals will be published online for educators across Spain to access. Winning schools will also receive additional workshops for students and parents.

Teaming Up with Nonprofits to Make a Difference
Through these and other partnerships, Kraft Foods and the Kraft Foods Foundation have donated more than $1 billion in cash and food to hunger-relief organizations over the past 25 years.

Focused on fighting hunger and promoting healthy lifestyles, the Kraft Foods Foundation supports programs on almost every continent. Additional programs are active in the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia and Brazil.

About Kraft Foods
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. Twelve of the company's iconic brands – Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Tang and Trident – generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually. On Aug. 4, 2011, Kraft Foods announced plans to divide and create two independent public companies: a high-growth global snacks business and a high-margin North American grocery business. The transaction will take at least 12 months to complete, during which time plans regarding the structure, management, governance and other matters will be announced. 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. Visit www.kraftfoodscompany.com and www.facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

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