Fast-food giant gives $80M to feed hungry

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The operator of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken committed $80 million to help feed schoolchildren worldwide, the United Nations said Friday.

Because of Yum! Brands' commitment, the U.N. World Food Program will be able to provide more than 200 million meals to schoolchildren in developing countries, the United Nations said in a news release.

The pledge was made in New York during the Clinton Global Initiative, established by former U.S. President Bill Clinton to help link people with ideas to people with resources, the United Nations said.

"We are ever so grateful to President Clinton, who acted as catalyst to draw together some of America's most dynamic corporate actors in this groundbreaking initiative," said World Food Program Executive Director Josette Sheeran. "This incredible expression of generosity shows what can be done when the private sector joins with a major humanitarian agency to help meet the needs of some of the world's most vulnerable children."

Clinton recently announced a partnership with World Food Program to fight intestinal worm infections among children, which Sheeran said was a problem in developing countries. The food program said it hopes to reach more than 2 million schoolchildren a year with de-worming tablets.