PEPSICO BEVERAGES NORTH AMERICA (PBNA) HOSTS BACK-TO-SCHOOL PEP RALLY POWERING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR A STRONG ACADEMIC START TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR

PBNA, PepsiCo Foundation, and non-profit Jhoslen Angels raise over $30,000 and donate 325 backpacks with school supplies and healthy meals to students of Miami-Dade County Public Schools

MIAMI, Aug. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) South Division is hosting a “Back-to-School PEP Rally” to help more than 325 Miami-Dade County K-8 students jumpstart the school year with the necessary school supplies and nutritious meals to help fuel their minds. Miami Dolphins alumni Vernon Carey, Twan Russel, and Kim Bokamper, and Miami Dolphins cheerleaders will be joining the August 8th backpack distribution event that will also offer the children breakfast and fun activities.

In Miami-Dade County, an estimated 18.2% of children face food insecurity (higher than the 15.7% statewide average, according to a Feeding America report*).  This can pose risks to a child’s health and development, leading to long-term social and behavioral challenges. PBNA’s Back-to-School PEP Rally aims to address this urgent need and provide children from local communities in the county with the resources they need to thrive in a new school year. 

Adelante, PBNA’s Hispanic employee resource group, led fundraising of over $30,000 for the recipient schools through employee donations, partner grants, and Jhoslen Angels Inc, a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering children and families in need. The backpacks and school supplies, purchased through PepsiCo’s retail partner Walmart, will be packed along with nutritious, shelf-stable meals provided through the PepsiCo Foundation’s Food for Good program. At the event, Jhoslen Angels will also give each family a Walmart gift card.

“At the heart of our Back-to-School PEP Rally lies our commitment to supporting the communities we serve during this potentially overwhelming yet exciting time of year,” says Heather Hoytink, President, South Division of PepsiCo Beverages North America. “We are thrilled to make a meaningful difference in the lives of over 325 families. Together, we hope to alleviate some of the financial stress from back-to-school preparations and help build a brighter future for these wonderful children.”

During the Back-to-School PEP Rally, children will have the opportunity to meet and participate in games with Dolphins alumni to promote healthy physical activity. Dolphins in-stadium DJ Rock With U will emcee and provide a game-day worthy soundtrack. Children and their caregivers will enjoy a hot breakfast with authentic Cuban cuisine from Sergio’s, a long-time PBNA food-service partner.

The Back-to-School PEP Rally will be held for invited families of students in need at Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ James H. Bright Elementary School in Hialeah. 

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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 more than $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, 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 beverages, 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 puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About the PepsiCo Foundation and Food for Good

Food for Good is the PepsiCo Foundation’s global platform for advancing food security and making nutritious food accessible. As a contributor to meeting pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) commitments, Food for Good has delivered more than 270 million meals to more than 46 million people around the world. Learn more at www.pepsicofoodforgood.com

About The Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins, owned by Chairman of the Board & Managing General Partner Stephen M. Ross, are the oldest major-league professional sports franchise in the state of Florida, having joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The organization has played in five Super Bowls, winning championships following the 1972 (VII) and 1973 (VIII) seasons. The franchise also has won five conference championships and 13 division championships. The Dolphins play home games at Hard Rock Stadium and train at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens. For more information, visit Dolphins.com.

* Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2022). Map the Meal Gap 2022: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2020. Feeding America.

Contact:
Bradley Gerber
[email protected]
786-473-8197

Brenda Figueroa
[email protected]
818-325-9636

SOURCE PepsiCo