For the second year in a row, P.F. Chang’s and the U.S. rice industry are teaming up to help fight hunger in America with a food-raising campaign during September’s National Rice Month: Ricegivingsm. The goal of Ricegivingsm is to donate 200,000 pounds of rice to Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. The partnership with USA Rice, the global advocate for the U.S. rice industry, is a natural fit for P.F. Chang’s because 100 percent of its rice is grown in the U.S.
According to Feeding America, one in seven people in the U.S. struggle with hunger every day. During September’s Ricegivingsm event, P.F. Chang’s guests can make a difference simply by ordering sushi made with U.S.-grown rice. Every order will be matched with a rice donation to Feeding America, up to two million servings—doubling P.F. Chang’s and USA Rice’s efforts in 2015.
“Fighting hunger in America is a cause very close to our hearts,” says Michael Osanloo, chief executive officer of P.F. Chang’s. “With Ricegivingsm we can bring awareness to the issue and positively impact thousands of families.”
Farm to Wok has been P.F. Chang’s food philosophy since the day they opened. It’s been their story—and now they are telling it. Many guests don’t know that every P.F. Chang’s has a scratch kitchen. This means that their chefs are using real, whole ingredients to make their recipes every day. These ingredients are intentionally chosen for their flavor and unique nutritional benefits, helping P.F. Chang’s chefs to create the purposefully simple recipes that their guests have come to know and love. “America’s rice farmers are a part of this story,” Osanloo says. “Ricegivingsm allows us to work together to express our shared values in the kitchen and throughout communities across America.”
Betsy Ward, president and CEO of USA Rice, says, “P.F. Chang’s and USA Rice support American farmers and local communities every day. We’re also making a difference for the most vulnerable among us by working together and are looking forward to another successful Ricegivingsm program in 2016.”
Promoted annually by the U.S. rice industry, National Rice Month is a time to celebrate the harvest of the small but mighty grain that has influenced American meals and traditions for more than 300 years.
The U.S. rice industry provides 125,000 jobs, produces 18 billion pounds of rice each year and contributes more than $30 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
