Marie Callender's, in partnership with the United Service Organizations (USO), announced the launch of the Comforts from Home Project today. (Photo: USO)

From September 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015, every time consumers look for one of the more than 51 million specially-marked Marie Callender’s meals or desserts from their grocer’s freezer case, they’re invited to support U.S. troops by entering an eight-digit code from the package online at www.ComfortsFromHome.com. Each code entered online equals a $0.50 donation¹ to the USO2GO program. Kits are designed to help soldiers transform a remote base into a place where troops can organize a pick-up football game, relax in comfortable chairs to swap stories, or send emails to loved ones back home.

“Marie Callender’s is all about creating homemade meals and desserts that encourage families to slow down and savor the moment. With our premium ingredients and made-from-scratch special touches, we offer family favorites that often remind people of home and the comfort it can bring,” said Chris Brocky, vice president general manager, ConAgra Foods. “It’s only fitting that we help bring a taste of home to a very deserving group of individuals: our U.S. servicemen and women.”

In addition to the on-pack promotion, the Comforts from Home Project will deliver the comforts of home to troops stationed in Germany and pay special tribute to one retiring soldier in a national television event airing on Veterans Day, November 11, 2014. A Hero’s Welcome, a one-hour special will feature a heartwarming homecoming event that brings the comforts of home to American troops in surprising ways with the help of the USO, hosts Robert Irvine from Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible, Genevieve Gorder from HGTV’s Genevieve’s Renovation, and Gary Sinise, award-winning actor, humanitarian, and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation. The special airs across Scripps Networks Interactive, including Food Network, HGTV, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, DIYNetwork, and Great American Country.

"By supporting the USO's USO2GO program, Marie Callender’s is helping to bridge the gap between home and our troops,” said Ed Shock, USO vice president of Warrior and Family Care. “USO2GO kits provide our deployed troops with some of the comforts of home. The USO is lucky to have partners like Marie Callender’s who understand the importance of showing our troops how much they are appreciated."

Visit www.ComfortsFromHome.com to learn more about the on-pack promotion, the USO2GO program and “A Hero’s Welcome” airing this November. Additionally, look for other Marie Callender’s digital, social and in-store marketing activations surrounding the Comforts from Home Program.

ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food companies with branded and private branded food found in 99 percent of America’s households, as well as a strong commercial foods business serving restaurants and foodservice operations globally. Consumers can find recognized brands such as Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy Choice®, Hebrew National®, Hunt's®, Marie Callender's®, Orville Redenbacher's®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Snack Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally, ConAgra Foods supplies frozen potato and sweet potato items as well as other vegetable, spice, and bakery goods to commercial and foodservice customers. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides consumers with easy dinner recipes and more. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

ABOUT THE USO The USO lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.

In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President’s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT, BNSF Railway, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, Grand Canyon University, JCPenney, Jeep, Johnson Johnson, Kroger, Northrop Grumman Corporation and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, BIC, The Boeing Company, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, Harris Teeter, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Procter Gamble, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH Co. KG and Wawa Inc. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

¹ For every entry by 1/31/15 of an 8-digit code found on participating products, Marie Callender’s will donate $.50 to the USO2GO program. Guaranteed minimum donation: $100,000. Maximum donation: $250,000. Limit 5 code entries per person/computer each day. Valid in U.S. only.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140923006123/en/

Source: ConAgra Foods

Edelman Kayla Jaroch, 312-240-3156 Kayla.Jaroch@edelman.com or ConAgra Foods Amy Morgan, 630-857-1120 Amy.Morgan@conagrafoods.com www.conagrafoods.com www.mariecallendersmeals.com