PepsiCo, PepsiCo Foundation and Feed the Children Mark 2 Million Meals Through School-Based Hunger Relief Program

With support from PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation, the Feed the Children Food & Essentials Hub program has reached a major milestone in helping expand access to nutritious food and essential resources for students and families. 

HARRISON, N.Y. and OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), PepsiCo Foundation and Feed the Children today announced that the Feed the Children Food & Essentials Hub program has provided over 2 million meals served this year, marking a significant milestone in their longstanding work to help address childhood hunger. Through school-based hubs, the program connects students and families with nutritious food, household essentials and educational resources, helping bring critical support directly into the communities where families live and children learn.

The program launched in 2020, when food insecurity among U.S. households with children rose to 14.8%, up from 13.6% in 2019.¹

"For many families, access to food isn't the only challenge. Time, transportation and awareness of available resources can all create barriers to getting support when it's needed most," said Monica Bauer, SVP, Social Impact, PepsiCo and President of the PepsiCo Foundation. "That's what makes this model so powerful. By working with Feed the Children to provide food, household essentials and educational resources through local schools, this program helps reach families through institutions they already know and trust. As the program exceeds two million meals delivered, we're seeing how community-based partnerships can help strengthen family stability and support student success."

Today, the Food & Essentials Hub network continues to bring together Feed the Children and a coalition of supporting partners to help address school hunger and strengthen support for children and families.

During the 2025-26 school year, Feed the Children's Food & Essentials Hub network delivered meaningful impact across the country, including:

• More than 154,900 students and 58,600 households reached
• 834 schools engaged across 11 states
• More than 686,000 meals provided
• More than $6.7 million in food, essentials, books and school supplies distributed

Unlike traditional food distribution programs, the Feed the Children Food & Essentials Hub model goes beyond food assistance, providing families with household and personal care items, school supplies and educational resources through participating schools. By bringing these resources together in one place, the program is designed to help reduce household stress and support children both in and out of the classroom.

The program is making a meaningful difference for participating families and schools, including:

• 71% of caregivers reported reduced household stress.
• Nearly two-thirds of caregivers said the program helped reduce the need to cut or skip meals for their children.
• Concerns about food running out dropped by 17.3 percentage points, with nearly twice as many families reporting they did not worry about food at all.
• 85% of families said access to household and personal care items helped free up resources for other essential expenses.
• 87% of participating school districts reported improvements in student confidence and attendance.
• 83% of students and families said they felt treated with dignity and respect while accessing resources.

"When we talk about the true impact of fighting school hunger, we're talking about much more than food. We're talking about helping children arrive at school ready to learn, reducing stress for families, and creating opportunities for children to grow, succeed and thrive," said Emily Callahan, president and CEO of Feed the Children. "Through our long-standing relationship with PepsiCo and the support of partners who make the Feed the Children Food & Essentials Hub program possible, we're helping provide food, essentials and support that strengthen families and communities while advancing our shared vision of a world where no child goes to bed hungry."

The milestone builds on more than three decades of collaboration between PepsiCo and Feed the Children to help expand food, essentials and support for families across the U.S. Together, these organizations continue to invest in community-based solutions that help address immediate needs while supporting long-term well-being for children and families.

About Feed the Children
Feed the Children is a global movement working to end childhood hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Together with communities, the organization provides food, essentials and opportunities to children and families who need them most so every child can survive and thrive. Learn more at feedthechildren.org.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $94 billion in net revenue in 2025, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and drinks, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that places sustainability at the center of our business strategy, seeking to drive growth and build a stronger, more resilient future for PepsiCo and the communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About PepsiCo Foundation
The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, works to support positive change for people and the planet by expanding access to essential resources that help meet immediate needs and unlock pathways to opportunity. Guided by PepsiCo Positive (pep+), our philanthropic investments focus on four key areas: food access, safe water access, farming, and workforce development. Through collaboration with nonprofits, community organizations and global partners, the Foundation works to strengthen food systems, support farmers, expand access to nutritious food and safe water, and advance workforce development to build lasting economic resilience. Learn more at www.pepsicofoundation.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

 

 

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SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.