LOS ANGELES, CA -- Betty Crocker announced today it is partnering with Jennifer Love Hewitt on a charity initiative inspired by Bake and Take Day to encourage people across America to give back to those in need in their communities.  

Bake and Take Day began as a community service event to celebrate the wheat harvest in Kansas. Members of the community baked items and took them to someone special in their communities. Inspired by the spirit of community service and giving behind this special holiday, Betty Crocker is working with Hewitt in Los Angeles on Friday, March 31, 2006 to deliver meals, Betty Crocker Rocky Road Brownies, hope, and caring with Project Angel Food, a charity organization aimed at improving the health and well-being of men, women, and children in need by providing meals and encouragement each day.

"I'm very happy to be working with Betty Crocker and the Bake and Take program," said Hewitt. "It's a wonderful way to raise awareness about the importance of giving back to people in your community by working with organizations that directly contribute to a person's well-being, not only by providing nutritious meals but also human contact and interaction."

"We were inspired by Bake and Take Day, and wanted to keep the spirit of giving alive all year round. This initiative shows that making a difference in someone's life is as easy as baking or cooking your favorite dish and taking it to someone in your community," said Ann Stuart, Betty Crocker Kitchens. "A visit brings not only food but compassion and hope. By teaming up with Jennifer Love Hewitt to deliver meals, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of giving back to those in need and working with organizations dedicated to bettering the lives of others."

Betty Crocker and Hewitt hope to inspire others to bake their favorite items and take them to the elderly, sick or needy in their community, and to encourage people to make a difference by getting involved with organizations like Project Angel Food, senior care centers, and other institutions. To show consumers how they can get started on creating their own Bake and Take Day with Betty Crocker products and recipes, Betty Crocker has created a special section on its website incorporating tips and recipe suggestions at www.bettycrocker.com/bakeandtake/.

About Betty Crocker Since her creation in 1921, Betty Crocker has bee n one of the strongest brand icons in the food industry. A brand associated with quality and trust, Betty Crocker and the red spoon symbol appear on more than 300 General Mills products including ready-to-spread frostings and mixes that make some of the country's best cakes, brownies, cookies, muffins and other baked goods. As a pioneer in the dessert mix category, General Mills was one of the first companies to introduce layer cake mix in 1947; it did so under the Betty Crocker name. This started a revolution in baking, providing homemakers with a convenient, reliable way to replicate the quality and taste of "homemade" without the hassle. Today, Betty Crocker products are the best-selling dessert mixes on the market. For more product or recipe information, please visit the Betty Crocker website at www.bettycrocker.com.

About Project Angel Food Project Angel Food's mission is to nourish the body and spirit of men , women and children affected by HIV/AIDS and other serious illness. Project Angel Food delivers free and nutritious meals prepared with love. The organization acts out of a sense of urgency because hunger and illness cannot wait. Meals are prepared by professional chefs and volunteer assistants, and are nutritious, attractive and always made with the freshest ingredients. Registered dietitians provide clients with individual nutritional counseling. There is no charge to clients for these services. Volunteers, who help in the kitchen and make the deliveries, are a crucial component of the program. While the immediate need that is fulfilled is the prevention of hunger, these caring individuals also deliver compassion and help reduce the terrible isolation that many people living with AIDS and other serious illnesses often experience. Closely reflecting the demographics of AIDS in Los Angeles County, over 60% of their clients are people of color. The vast majority of clients live at or below poverty level. Since its inception in 1989, Project Angel Food has prepared and delivered more than 3.4 million meals. Last year, Project Angel Food prepared and delivered 412,446 meals to 1,600 individuals.

Project Angel Food was founded by Marianne Williamson.

Story: © 2006 PR NewsWire. All Rights Reserved.