Slim-Fast donation to the hungry is more than just food for thought.

Slim-Fast donation to the hungry is more than just food for thought

S. Daniel Abraham, chairman of Slim-Fast Foods Co., a maker of diet products, was honored last week at a banquet his company underwrote for Slim-Fast's recent donation of food to the hungry.

Mara Kochba, who is handling publicity for Food Partnership, which hosted the gala, said the donated nutrition bars, which contain 100 calories each, are being distributed to the hungry as a nutritional snack, not in place of meals, as they are used by dieters.

"I know most people think of it as a weight-loss product. Yes, they market it as part of a diet plan," said Kochba. "We're not giving them as a meal replacement. It's a snack, a between-meal supplement."

Abraham received the Food Partnership's Humanitarian Award. Kochba said the organization has received a "truck load" of bars so far.

She said the bars will be distributed in the near future to a network of charities through the Food Partnership, a United Way project that serves largely as a distribution and transportation service for donated food products.

Some of the food bars, which come in a variety of flavors, are being given to the Para Los Ninos facility in Los Angeles, where a news conference was held May 9.

Kochba said food banks often accept donations of less nutritious food, such as candy and potato chips, and the Slim-Fast food is more nutritious than children's standard snack fare.

She added that Food Partnership raised $250,000 through the banquet that Slim-Fast funded honoring Abraham.

"In any fund-raising event, you (honor) somebody," said Kochba.

Also honored was Ralphs Grocery Store, recipient of the Community Service Award, and Hunt-Wesson Inc., which received the National Achievement Award. Slim-Fast advertising spokesman Tommy Lasorda, who says he lost weight drinking Slim-Fast shakes in place of meals, was chosen to host the gala and to appear at the news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.

Kochba said Ralphs and Hunt-Wesson both have donated food, although they were honored for trucking food donations to various agencies.