Reports great success in reaching the youth of Africa and providing healthy choices leading to life

PHOENIX, AZ, May 31, 2007 – Yesterday, President Bush called on Congress to double the U.S. commitment toward battling the global AIDS crisis. His proposal would increase PEPFAR (President's Emergency Program for AIDS relief ) funding to $30 billion, extend the program to 2013, provide lifesaving treatment to an additional 2.5 million people, prevention of more than 12 million new infections, and care for more than 12 million people – including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children.

Food for the Hungry president and acting chairman of ACVFA, the advisory arm of USAID, Ben Homan, applauds the proposed increase, affirming the urgent need to help those suffering with HIV/AIDS worldwide. "Having personally witnessed the tragic impact of HIV/AIDS in communities throughout Africa and having also seen how PEPFAR has brought hope to real people in real places, I am overwhelmed with emotion at this announcement," Homan states. "The President's announcement for double funding to battle this scourge recalls the words spoken on the moon by Neil Armstrong. It is a 'giant leap for mankind.'"

Through the PEPFAR initiative, Food for the Hungry is implementing AIDS prevention (ABY program – "Healthy Choices Leading to Life") in four countries – Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Haiti – as well as providing care and support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya. The desired goal of ABY is to increase abstinence and faithfulness and reduce unhealthy sexual behaviors among youth (aged 10-24) and adults, leading to a decreased transmission of HIV in targeted youth and married adults. The program has proven to be very successful.

As a result of PEPFAR, Food for the Hungry has reached more than 594,000 youth and children through 2,952 youth-to-youth groups and 89,766 trained adults as direct beneficiaries of the program. An additional 56 million people were reached through television and radio. Also, communities were mobilized to reach 2,905 churches and mosques, 1,722 schools, and 924 Women's Groups/Associations.

"Through PEPFAR we are reaching millions of youth with life-saving messages of abstinence before marriage and faithfulness in marriage, states Kim Cutler, Food for the Hungry's HIV/AIDS Programs Coordinator. "Our network of partners has grown in capacity through this funding and has spun off nearly $15 million of additional funding through local USAID offices and the New Partnership Initiatives which enables our partners to reach more youth and adults than ever before. PEPFAR has been a huge blessing to the people of Africa."

Founded in 1971, Food for the Hungry provides emergency relief and implements development programs to help the world's most disadvantaged people. Working in more than 26 countries, Food for the Hungry goes to the hard places, walking alongside leaders, churches and families to provide sustainable transformation. You can learn more about Food for the Hungry by calling 1-800-248-6437 or going to their website at http://www.FH.org