Bear stars help combat summer food insecurity

He watches: “Bear” stars help fight hunger

In celebration of the second season of the hit series, Bear, several cast members have teamed up with Disney and Feeding America to pay special visits to partner food banks in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, where they can provide families with nutritious food. need.

Fans of the series with a deep knowledge and appreciation for food on a professional level have identified with “Bear” and have praised its creators for their unique and poignant representation of the restaurant and hospitality industry.

From Michelin-starred Chef Carmen “Carmi” Perzato’s amazing dishes, to the trials and tribulations within the walls of a working kitchen, the show has given real-life chefs and food-diners alike a chance to see food in a new light.

Four of the series stars – Lisa Colon-Zayas, who plays Sous Chef Tina; Lionel Boyce, who plays pastry chef Marcus; Chris Witaski, who plays Pete; and Corey Hendrix, who plays Gary—join Disney and Feeding America to help raise awareness about the growing need for children and families to access nutritious foods during the lean summer months when kids are out of school.

According to Feeding America, 49 million individuals have turned to food banks and community-based programs to help put food on the table in 2022, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when unemployment and food insecurity soared. the US Department of Agriculture reported that 13.5 million households overall were food insecure at some point during the year in 2021. Among households with children under the age of 18, 4.6 million She reported experiencing food insecurity at some point during the same year.

Ziyaz, who grew up in the Bronx projects, told “GMA” that despite their parents’ efforts to feed five children, “it just wasn’t enough,” which is why food banks are so important.

“Sometimes we had to go to the community center to get our staples just to get to or rely on family members. And during the summer, if I’m not on some kind of summer program, that’s often what I get during the day’s meals,” Zayas said. Healthy snacks or smoothies.” “These things matter, they make a big difference. So I’m very grateful to all of you who support programs like this, we need it.”

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Hendrix, a Chicago native, said he believes this donation will “bring some balance to families during the summer, school is out, and parents are still working so the kids need these meals.”

Boyce from the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank arrived alongside Witaske and said this moment is the cherry on top for the “bear” being able to help those in need of food aid.

“I grew up in Inglewood, it’s a food desert there, so the fact that we’re able to provide an alternative to fast food with nutritious meals is great to see,” Boyce said.

Witaske added, “The ability to really get down and see [the charitable operation] Straight up is really amazing.”

For more than 10 years, Disney — the parent company of FX and Hulu — has partnered with Feeding America in its efforts to end hunger in the United States, and to date, has provided millions of meals to children and families in need of support.

This year, Disney will donate approximately 450,000 meals across three major food banks: Food Bank for New York City, The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and Great Chicago Food Depository.

If you need help or are able to provide assistance, please visit FeedingAmerica.org/Disney to learn more.

All episodes of FX’s “Bear” are streaming exclusively on Hulu right now.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu, FX, ABC News, and “Good Morning America.”