Written by: TFVstaff • November 27, 2018• In the Community

PepsiCo Sponsors Holiday Meals for At-Risk Kids and Teens

PepsiCo has announced that it will sponsor holiday meals for Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services. The Bridge, Miami’s only emergency shelter for kids and teens, annually hosts Thanksgiving and holiday luncheons to feed the many at-risk youth they shelter as well as their families.

Over 200 youth, their families and community members are served a traditional holiday meal during these events. Also included are performances by talented Miami Bridge kids and moving testimonials recounting the life-altering benefits received from the staff’s positivity, empowerment, and counseling, as well as emergency shelter received during a time of homelessness.

“We are very appreciative of PepsiCo’s generosity in providing these much-needed holiday meals,” stated Dr. Dorcas Wilcox, CEO of Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services. “Each day these children and their families face staggering challenges, but these holiday events go a long way in lessening their burdens. It gives them an opportunity to see the positive and to give thanks themselves.”

“The holidays are meant to be enjoyed with family, and Miami Bridge has provided just that for these young people, said Steve Lezman, Senior Director of Government Affairs. “PepsiCo proudly supports this important initiative because we believe there is no better investment in our future than ensuring young people in our communities are supported and provided for so they can learn and grow, and in turn, our communities are strengthened.”

According to the Department of Children and Families, there are between 9,000 and 10,000 children in Florida who are removed from their homes every year due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. As of April 2017, Florida had more than 7,000 children living in foster homes and over 2,000 children living in residential group care.

Miami Bridge annually shelters more than 500 children and teens, providing them over 10,000 care days, as well as counseling for more than 500 families with children ages 6-17. One hundred percent of youth enrolled in the residential program receive clothing, shelter, meals, and wrap-around support services as needed. Ninety-seven percent of these youth have no arrests during services, with 90 percent of kids and teens being able to be reunited with their families or another permanent connection.

About Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Inc. : Miami Bridge was established in 1985 and serves as Miami-Dade County’s only 24-hour emergency shelter for children and teens in crisis ages 10-17. For more than 33 years, the non-profit organization has worked to rescue youth in the community from lives of victimization and crime by providing refuge, protection and specialized care in a nurturing, stable environment. Annually, Miami Bridge shelters more than 500 children and teens, providing over 10,000 care days for those individuals, as well as counseling to more than 500 families with children ages 6-17. For additional information, please visit www.miamibridge.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 more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

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