Olive Garden is strengthening its commitment to helping families in need by partnering with Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief organization. In addition to Olive Garden's ongoing efforts, this new partnership with Feeding America will add 5.5 million more meals to help families facing hunger in communities across the country. Together, Feeding America and Olive Garden share the belief that no family should go without a meal.

In the U.S., 48 million people face food insecurity, including 15 million children. Since 2003, every Olive Garden restaurant has participated in the Olive Garden Harvest program, where every day, the more than 800 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada "harvest" wholesome, surplus food that is not served to guests and safely prepare it for donation. Over the last 13 years, the program has donated more than 34 million pounds of food, or the equivalent of more than 28 million meals, 2 to local food banks, shelters and other charitable organizations.

"Our restaurants are committed to giving back to the communities they serve, and our team members are proud of the local impact they make every day through the Olive Garden Harvest program," says Dave George, president of Olive Garden. "We are excited to build on that success and accelerate the results of our hunger-relief efforts by partnering with Feeding America."

The Feeding America network of food banks serves virtually every county in the country, enabling meals to reach more than 46 million people who face hunger in the U.S. By combining efforts, Olive Garden can make a substantial impact with the meals they help provide.

"One in seven Americans are unsure of where they will find their next meal," adds Leah Ray, senior vice president of development of Feeding America. "Support from partners like Olive Garden is critical in the fight against hunger, and this commitment will make a tangible impact by providing food for people who need it."