A Mouse and a Bear are teaming up for a good cause.
With Disney and Hulu becoming intertwined, the number-one-rated FX series, “The Bear,” is helping lead the charge to feed hungry children during the most vulnerable time of the year. “The Bear,” a gripping series following a team of misfits flipping a crumbling building into a Michelin-Star dining spot, shines a light on corners of society that need more attention.
Partnering with Feeding America, the Walt Disney Company, FX, Hulu, and ABC Owned Television Stations converged to deliver a significant donation to Feeding America's network of food banks in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Childhood Hunger Is Familiar to This ‘Bear' Star
On Monday, ABC News reported The Bear-inspired food bank visit from the smash-hit show's cast. Good Morning America met with the cast in New York during the special visit, where they spoke about the necessity of food assistance for families.
Not only do officials say 34 million people, including more than 9 million children, aren't sure where their next meal is coming from, but Liza Colón-Zaya, who plays Sous Chef Tina on FX's “The Bear,” knows the feeling all too well:
Sometimes we had to go to the Community Center to get our staples—to get through. And during the summers, if I wasn’t in some kind of summer program, that’s often where during the day I would get healthy snacks or juices, and these things matter.
Growing up in the projects in the Bronx, the same area “The Bear” cast visited to help feed children, Colón-Zayawho spoke to the struggles of food insecurity. Being on the other side of her humble beginnings as a star of TV's best show, Colón-Zayawho has a Cinderella story to tell—an important one for someone to hear no matter where they are in their journey.
When Food Insecurity Is at Its Worst
The ABC News report included insight into the summer months weighing heavily on children who rely on after-school programs, lunches, and before-school programs for meals. During the 90 days of summer vacation, food insecurity is at its highest, impacting one in eight children in the nation who face these obstacles.
Over the last ten years, Disney has contributed to Feeding America, and the effort between these media moguls will result in nearly five million meals delivered to families nationwide. Joined by the fierce forces behind “The Bear,” the awareness raised by the mighty team will hopefully inspire others to help children fight food insecurity all year round.
To donate, head to foodbanknyc.org, and to watch the epic second season of “The Bear,” get comfy on your couch and stream it on Hulu.
