In the Department of Do Good, socially conscious food and beverage company Happy Day Brands announced it will surpass its goal of providing 100,000 meals this year to Idaho families and children in need — and celebrated this accomplishment by setting an even more ambitious goal for 2020: providing more than a quarter-million meals to Idahoans who are battling hunger.

“Hunger is a silent struggle for more than 40 million people across the United States, affecting 210,400 people right here in Idaho. We believe in a future where all families and children have healthy and nutritious food on their table,” said Happy Day Brands CEO Mark Priddy. “Alongside our corporate partners and community organizations, we continue to discover new ways to help take action to end hunger in Idaho and beyond.”

This year’s Happy Day initiative — conducted in partnership with The Idaho Foodbank and regional food pantries, will provide more than 150,000 meals of the company’s popular oatmeal to an estimated 1,890 families in 37 Idaho communities across the state by the end of 2019.

As an Idaho Preferred company, the majority of Happy Day’s oats are sourced via the company’s homegrown supply chain of goodness — produced and packaged in-state, by farmers and local Idahoans, delivering an economic boost that empowers local farming communities. Oats come from farms near the Eastern Idaho communities of Howe and Rexburg, as well as from Caribou County in the southeastern part of the state. The company’s organic oats are produced on a small farm in Central Idaho near McCall.

“Happy Day’s deep commitment to creating a hunger-free Idaho is just remarkable,” said Karen Vauk, president and CEO of The Idaho Foodbank. “They’re so responsive as a partner, and their can-do, passion for good is infectious to everyone who’s around them.”

Next year’s campaign will expand from school pantries to include mobile pantries across Idaho, increasing the program’s reach to more Idahoans, especially in rural communities.

According to The Idaho Foodbank, 1 in 8 Idahoans and 1 in 6 Idaho children — nearly 70,000 kids — face hunger or food insecurity — not knowing where their next meal will come from or having reliable access to affordable, healthy food.

Happy Day Brands operates its business on a buy-one, give-one donation model. The line of good-for-you, all-natural innovative breakfast and snack foods, especially its non-GMO oat products, protein pancake mix and superfood granola, are seeing exceptional growth in the marketplace. Happy Day’s specialty line of products offers a wide variety including gluten-free, organic, Keto and superfood blends.

Happy Day Brands products are available locally in Albertsons, the Boise Co-op, Jacksons Food Stores, Whole Foods Market, Natural Grocers, Sysco and recently launched nationally in WinCo Foods this year. “We’re excited about our new partnership with WinCo Foods because it provides an exceptional opportunity to reach more customers and amplify our give-back initiative,” said Priddy. “We’re also grateful for the tremendous support of our customers, who not only inspire us but truly are the catalyst to create a hunger-free Idaho by using their purchase to make a difference.”