Foundation awards $284,000 to 18 community-based nonprofits nominated and selected by ConAgra Foods employees

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 2013-- Driven to help end child hunger in the communities where ConAgra Foods employees live and work, the ConAgra Foods Foundation has awarded its 2013 Nourish Our Community Grants to 18 nonprofit organizations nationwide. Awards in 2013 totaled $284,000.

This year marks the 20^th anniversary for the Nourish Our Community Grants program¹, which is designed to empower ConAgra Foods employees to recognize and support nonprofits making significant impact in their communities. In fact, ConAgra Foods employees are a central part of the grants process. Individuals or groups across company locations nominate local organizations that meet general eligibility criteria; from there, a cross-functional employee committee reviews and selects the grant recipients. While any non-profit organization that is working to address community needs is eligible for funding, preference is given to those that seek to provide children with access to the food and facts they need to eat nutritiously, live balanced lifestyles and succeed in school and life.

“ConAgra Foods employees volunteer an incredible amount of their time and resources to nonprofits that are helping their friends and neighbors,” said Kori Reed, vice president, ConAgra Foods Foundation. “The Nourish Our Community Grants enable the ConAgra Foods Foundation and ConAgra Foods employees to recognize and maximize the work these organizations are doing to improve their communities.”

This year, the ConAgra Foods Foundation awarded Nourish Our Community Grants ranging from $3,500 to $25,000. Recipients include:

• Boys Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties in Pasco, Wash.
• Christ Central Ministries, Nehemiah Project in West Columbia, S.C.
• Community Child Development Center, Inc. in Macon, Mo.
• Community Food Pantry in Marshall, Mo.
• Community Services of Moses Lake, Inc. in Moses Lake, Wash.
• Dare to Care, Inc. in Louisville, Ky.
• Dunlap Community Food Pantry in Dunlap, Iowa
• El Pasoans Fighting Hunger in El Paso, Texas
• Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas in Jonesboro, Ark.
• Forestville Food Pantry in Forestville, N.Y.
• Hope Center for Kids, Inc. in Omaha, Neb.
• Humboldt Area Rescue Squad in Humboldt, Tenn.
• Milton Public Library in Milton, Pa.
• Northwest Iowa Food Bank in Waterloo, Iowa
• Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank of West Michigan, Inc. in Comstock Park, Mich.
• The Coalition for Kids, Inc. in Johnson City, Tenn.
• Union-Snyder Agency on Aging, Inc. in Lewisburg, Pa.
• Warden Food Pantry in Warden, Wash.

For more details about Nourish Our Community Grants and other ways the ConAgra Foods Foundation is helping in the fight against child hunger, please visit www.conagrafoodsfoundation.org.

ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS FOUNDATION

The ConAgra Foods Foundation, through its Nourish Today, Flourish Tomorrow platform, is dedicated to raising awareness of the 17 million children in America who are at risk of hunger and don't have enough food to live active, healthful lives. It aggressively pursues sustainable solutions in the fight against child hunger. And the Foundation is committed to building a community of people who are passionate about ensuring that all kids have access to the food and facts they need to eat nutritiously while living balanced lifestyles and succeeding in school and life. ConAgra Foods Foundation invests in national and local partnerships with high-impact, not-for-profit organizations, such as Feeding America, that take an innovative approach to addressing needs in the core areas of hunger and nutrition education. For more information, please visit www.conagrafoodsfoundation.org or www.facebook.com/ConAgraFoodsFoundation. The ConAgra Foods Foundation is funded solely by ConAgra Foods (NYSE: CAG).

ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food companies with branded and private branded food found in 99 percent of America’s households, as well as a strong commercial foods business serving restaurants and foodservice operations globally. Consumers can find recognized brands such as Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy Choice®, Hebrew National®, Hunt's®, Marie Callender's®, Orville Redenbacher's®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Snack Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally, ConAgra Foods supplies frozen potato and sweet potato products as well as other vegetable, spice, bakery and grain products to commercial and foodservice customers. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides consumers with easy dinner recipes and more. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

^1. The Nourish Our Community Grants program began in 1993 as Community Service Awards

Source: ConAgra Foods Foundation

ConAgra Foods Foundation Kori Reed, 402-240-6303 kori.reed@conagrafoods.com www.conagrafoods.com www.conagrafoodsfoundation.org