Kraft Foods Teams up with Habitat for Humanity to Expand Relief Efforts in Nation's Gulf Coast

Employees from Kraft Foods are stepping up to provide support to the nation’s Gulf Coast recovery efforts as more than 175 workers will descend on Slidell, Louisiana beginning this month and continuing through November. Expanding on the company’s initial $1 million contribution in food and financial support for humanitarian aid in the Gulf Coast, Kraft is now sponsoring two Habitat for Humanity homes in St. Tammany Parish, one of New Orleans’ suburbs most affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Beginning in early September, Kraft employees from around the United States are working alongside the families building their new homes. As part of the humanitarian project, Kraft has donated $150,000 to Habitat for Humanity for the sponsorship of two homes and will cover expenses for its employees. In addition, Kraft employees will be compensated for their week in Louisiana, just as if they were in the office. "Kraft recognizes there is still more to be done to help those families affected by the devastation of the Gulf Coast hurricanes and our employees have initiated this effort to help the important rebuilding effort in Louisiana,” comments Amina Dickerson, Senior Director, Corporate Community Involvement, Kraft Foods. "With our longstanding commitment to community service, Kraft is pleased to team up with Habitat for Humanity and bring the long awaited reality of a new home to these hardworking American families.” Volunteers will participate in all phases of the construction, from framing to interior and exterior finishing. Located adjacent to each other on the 1300 block of Eleanor Street in Slidell, one home is 1,100 square feet with three bedrooms, while the other features four bedrooms with 1,200 square feet of living space. "Kraft’s partnership is the most unique to East St. Tammany because they are not only making a financial sponsorship but also sending volunteers to make this building project a reality,” adds Kimberley Fraser, Executive Director, East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity. "It’s an especially important time as the national volunteer support garnered immediately after Hurricane Katrina has dwindled and we are in desperate need for volunteers to partner with our construction team and the families to build homes.” Habitat and Kraft Foods have a long history of working together on community service projects. The Maxwell House Coffee business donated $2 million from 1997-1998 to fund 'Build a Home America,' a nationwide initiative to build 100 homes with 100 families in 100 weeks. From 2000-2004, Kraft sponsored four Habitat for Humanity homes in Illinois and more than 1,300 Kraft employees have participated in various Habitat for Humanity projects. Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $34 billion. For over 100 years, Kraft has offered consumers delicious and wholesome foods that fit the way they live. Kraft markets a broad portfolio of iconic brands in 155 countries, including seven brands with revenue of more than $1 billion, such as Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese; Post cereals; Nabisco cookies and crackers; Jacobs coffees and Milka chocolates. Kraft became a fully independent company on March 30, 2007, and is listed in the Standard & Poor's 100 and 500 indexes. The company is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.kraft.com.