Goya donates Food to Catholic Charities

Goya Foods Donates 40,000 Pounds Of Food To Charities Nationwide In The Name Of Artists Marco Antonio Solis, Chayanne® & Marc Anthony Of The Gigantes Tour

		Catholic Charities Vice President of Programs Oleg Jolic, Mamie George Community Center Director Ernest Lewis and Catholic Charities Director of Marketing & Communications Jo Ann Zuniga thank Goya Director of Public Relations Rafael Toro and Vice President of Goya Foods of Texas Evelio Fernandez for the donation of 5,000 pounds of Goya products for Catholic Charities’ food pantry. The presentation was made at the Los Gigantes Concert starring singers Marc Anthony, Chayanne and Marco Antonio Solis, which donated 40,000 pounds of food to venues across the country.

Houston, Texas – Goya Foods, America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, will donate 40,000 pounds of Goya products to charities across the nation in the name of musical artists Marco Antonio Solis, Chayanne®, and Marc Anthony as part of the 2012 GIGANTES concert tour. They are performing in Houston Sept. 1 at the Toyota Center and will be donating 5,000 pounds of food to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Each charity in eight of the concert tour cities will receive a donation of 5,000 pounds of products including United Way of Hudson County in New Jersey and Amigos for Kids in Miami, and Casa Catalina in Chicago.

As part of Goya’s continued commitment to create awareness of MyPlate/MiPlato, a nationwide campaign led by Goya Foods and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, Goya will sponsor nine shows in eight markets.

“It has become a Goya tradition to incorporate a food donation to various charities around the nation for each of the concert tours we have participated in,” says Rafael Toro, Director of Public Relations at Goya Foods. “These donations are our way of showing our appreciation to our consumers who have supported us over the years. Each of these concert series is a great way to make a difference within the community and this year, it has become an opportunity to create awareness of MyPlate/MiPlato and healthy eating.”

Deacon Joe Rubio, Catholic Charities Interim Co-Director and Vice President of Advocacy and Community Relations, said, “We thank Goya for such a blessing of food and we will distribute to those in need throughout our community.”

Catholic Charities has its self-select pantry Trini’s Corner Market in Richmond at 1111 Collins Road as part of its Mamie George Community Center in Fort Bend Country. There are also Food Fairs open to the public on the last two Saturdays of the month at the Guadalupe Center, 326 S. Jensen, in southeast Houston.

MyPlate/MiPlato, is the USDA’s new, easy to use educational tool designed to assist families in making healthy meal choices and practicing portion control. In an effort to further encourage health and wellness in all communities, Goya has developed MyPlate/MiPlato brochures with recipes and coupons, educational lesson plans, posters, and will launch the official MyPlate/MiPlato cookbook featuring 30 healthy Latin recipes with 10 complete dishes from around the world

Media Contact

Jo Ann Zuniga, Director of Marketing & Communications, 713.874.6558

About GOYA

Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures packages and distributes over 2,200 high-quality food products from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world; their combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation make them ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com

About Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston provides a comprehensive network of social services aimed at promoting and facilitating self-sufficiency. Services include basic needs assistance, affordable home ownership and transitional housing programs, counseling, disaster recovery, HIV/AIDS ministry, refugee resettlement, immigrant legal services, pregnancy services, adoption and foster care, pregnancy services, and case management for seniors. Catholic Charities serves more than 90,000 people annually throughout the Greater Houston area. Catholic Charities is a nonprofit, United Way agency. For more information, visit www.catholiccharities.org.