Bob Evans 'Farmhouse Feast' helps families celebrate holidays

More than $500,000 to be donated to local food pantries to fight hunger

A tradition Bob Evans Restaurants has nurtured is helping to feed thousands of hungry families who otherwise would not be able to enjoy a family meal together. What started as a grassroots effort by a few restaurant teams three years ago has grown to include every Bob Evans branch accepting voluntary donations of more than $500,000 from guests this holiday season.

"Our guests are amazingly generous," said Becky Johnson, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Bob Evans Farms LLC. "It's just another indication of how our guests feel like they are an extension of our family and want to come together to help others in the local community."

All Bob Evans' restaurants have been accepting guest contributions since the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday and will continue to accept donations through Christmas. These dollars are then used to purchase "Farmhouse Feasts," which are given to local food pantry/harvest partners within each restaurant's community. These charities determine which families have the greatest need and transfer the meals to these needy families so that they can enjoy a complete holiday dinner.

With hunger affecting almost 15 percent of all U.S. households (nearly 49 million Americans, including 15.9 million children), there is no shortage of hungry mouths to feed every day. (U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics.)

The Bob Evans "Farmhouse Feast" is a complete meal featuring a slow-roasted whole boneless turkey breast or sliced boneless ham, bread and celery dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, buttered sweet corn, green beans with ham, cranberry relish, rolls, a loaf of pumpkin bread and a pumpkin pie with whipped topping. It's available to purchase for $ 49.99 (feeds four) or $79.99 (feeds eight to 10).

Snowflakes represent donations at local restaurants

To participate in the hunger-free communities campaign, guests can donate $1, $5, $10 or any amount they would like to give, at any Bob Evans' restaurant, through a snowflake icon. These snowflakes are then displayed in the restaurant to symbolize the community's desire to help end hunger during the holiday season.

For more information about the "Farmhouse Feast" or hunger-free communities campaign, visit www.bobevans.com. For daily updates on Bob Evans deals and promotions, follow Bob Evans on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bobevans or @BobEvansFarms on Twitter.