Every middle schooler in the district will have the chance to play like tigers thanks to Kellogg's Frosted Flakes,® joining the 1 million kids nationwide impacted by Mission Tiger
BATTLE CREEK, Mich., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tony the Tiger® is kicking off a Mission Tiger™ donation with an assist from his newest teammate, pro running back Najee Harris, with a surprise visit to Greenfield Elementary School in Harris' hometown of Pittsburgh. It's all part of the celebration for Tony's big win of achieving his goal to help 1 million kids gain better access to sports via Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® Mission Tiger.™
Acting as middle school coaches for the day, Tony and Harris are stopping by Pittsburgh Public Schools' Greenfield Elementary School to surprise their stellar co-ed flag football team with a Mission Tiger donation. To help the next generation of athletes get on the field and unleash their inner tiger, the duo is delivering new flag football equipment, uniforms and more, plus scouting out top talent. There is a pro draft coming up, after all, and Tony and Harris are always looking to build their roster.
"Over the past two years, we've seen many middle school sports programs cut short, which means kids miss out on the benefits of school sports. That's why Mission Tiger reaffirmed our commitment to help 1 million kids gain better access to sports and help keep kids in the game," said Ryan Versfeld, senior brand manager, Kellogg U.S. ready-to-eat cereal segment. "We're thrilled to be in Pittsburgh today to celebrate reaching this huge goal with our teammate Najee Harris and deliver another Mission Tiger donation — this time to the kids and coaches at Pittsburgh Public Schools."
This Mission Tiger donation will help middle schoolers at Greenfield Elementary as well as impact every middle school in the Pittsburgh Public Schools district, ultimately helping more than 38,000 Pittsburgh kids play sports. Kids across the city will enjoy better access to improved fields, upgraded training equipment, new uniforms and more.
"Sports are an important part of our students' development, giving them a safe environment to play, stay active and develop valuable teamwork and leadership skills," said Dr. Wayne D. Walters, interim superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools. "Thanks to Mission Tiger, we'll be able to provide our middle schoolers across the entire district with the equipment and opportunities they need to keep playing the sports they love for years to come."
TONY'S NEW TEAMMATE
Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris is the latest to join Mission Tiger alongside other athlete superstars. With his passion for sports and dedication to giving back to his local community, Harris is the perfect athlete to join Tony's Mission Tiger team and bring the mission to his hometown.
"When Tony the Tiger asked me to join him in making a difference in my hometown of Pittsburgh, I had to jump at the chance to join Mission Tiger and help support middle school sports," said Harris. "I've played football my entire life and it has had such a positive impact on me, both on and off the field. I'm excited to be in Pittsburgh today to deliver this donation and throw a few passes with these young athletes and my pal Tony."
1 MILLION KIDS
Youth sports play a vital role in keeping kids active and developing young students on and off the field by improving cognitive skills, building self-esteem and teaching valuable leadership and goal-setting skills.1 When many youth sports programs faced challenges in 2020, Mission Tiger reaffirmed its commitment to bring the benefits of sports to more middle schoolers nationwide by announcing a goal to have a positive impact on 1 million kids by the end of 2021.
Mission Tiger achieved that ambitious goal of helping 1 million kids gain better access to sports by refurbishing sports facilities, providing team jerseys, upgrading equipment and more.
For more information and to support the mission, visit MissionTiger.com.
About Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® Mission Tiger™
Mission Tiger launched in August 2019 with a $1 million commitment to DonorsChoose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting public school educators nationwide. For every Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® box purchased, a $2 donation* is sparked by uploading a receipt to Kellogg's Family Rewards™ via MissionTiger.com. Thanks to fans coast to coast, students at middle schools nationwide have better access to play sports. If a favorite athletic program has been cut or a local team needs new uniforms, visit MissionTiger.com today to see requests from middle schools seeking funds and join our team. Mission Tiger middle school sports projects are fulfilled by Tony's partner, DonorsChoose.
*Kellogg is donating $2 per purchase to DonorsChoose with Kellogg's Frosted Flakes receipt upload. Min. Donation $250,000 - Max. $500,000. Go to missiontiger.com for instructions. Applies to purchases between 1/1/22 and 12/31/22; must upload within 30 days of purchase.
About Kellogg Company
At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), our vision is a good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled. We are creating better days and a place at the table for everyone through our trusted food brands. Our beloved brands include Pringles®, Cheez-It®, Special K®, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg's Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats®, Kashi®, RXBAR®, MorningStar Farms® and more. Net sales in 2021 were nearly $14.2 billion, comprised principally of snacks as well as convenience foods like cereal, frozen foods and noodles. As part of our Kellogg's® Better Days ESG strategy, we're addressing the interconnected issues of wellbeing, climate and food security, creating Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030. Visit www.KelloggCompany.com.
About DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 5.2 million people and partners have contributed $1 billion to support over 2 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank-you's and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability. For more information, visit donorschoose.org.
About Pittsburgh Public Schools
The Pittsburgh Public School District is the largest of 43 school districts in Allegheny County and second largest in Pennsylvania. The District serves approximately 20,350 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. The Pittsburgh Public Schools offers students a variety of options and opportunities that will help them succeed in school and prepare them for whatever comes next in college, career and life. Visit https://www.pghschools.org.
1 Youth Sports Benefits; Aspen Institute Project Play
SOURCE Kellogg Company