MIAMI, Dec. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Line capped off a Holiday Food & Fund drive in New Orleans benefiting the Second Harvest Food Bank by constructing the world's largest cruise ship made of canned food which was displayed on Monday night at the New Orleans Saints game.
Carnival is the "Official Cruise Line of the New Orleans Saints" and the 30-foot-long cruise ship built from more than 17,000 cans of food was the culmination of a Holiday Food & Fund drive involving New Orleans-area schools that was sponsored by Carnival and the NFL franchise.
The can structure was built in consultation with the New Orleans chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and required more than 100 volunteers who expertly positioned the cans – one at a time – to create a reproduction of a Carnival cruise ship featuring such design elements as the line's signature winged funnel, running lights and more.
Both Carnival and the New Orleans Saints provided incentives to students in New Orleans-area schools to participate in the food drive by awarding classroom prizes including free pizza parties, Saints lithograph footballs and free cruises to schools who collected the most cans of food. The winning schools were announced during half-time at the game. The joint initiative will provide more than 75,000 meals for those in need in the greater New Orleans area this holiday season.
"Carnival has been a part of New Orleans for more than two decades and we greatly value the opportunity to give back to our homeport communities," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "This Holiday Food & Fund drive in partnership with the New Orleans Saints and Second Harvest was a fun and rewarding way to provide tens of thousands of meals to those in need this holiday season," said Christine Duffy, Carnival's president.
"We are so proud to have worked with Carnival Cruise Line and Second Harvest on the successful build of the largest cruise ship made out of cans, but even more excited about the amount of food donations made through the build and the food drives at local schools that will help fight hunger throughout this holiday season," said Jean-Paul Dardenne, New Orleans Saints' senior vice president of corporate partnerships. "Carnival Cruise Line demonstrated their leadership and dedication throughout this project and we are proud to continue to work together to make a difference in the New Orleans community."
Added Natalie Jayroe, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, "We are so thankful for the wonderful opportunity with Carnival, the New Orleans Saints and AIA to team up with us to lead the fight against hunger in Southern Louisiana by providing incentives for schools to participate in our Holiday Food & Fund Drive. Our work together ensures that meals make it to the dinner tables of thousands of families struggling with hunger."
Carnival's Holiday Food & Fund drive is just the latest example of the cruise line's support of the New Orleans community. Carnival is New Orleans' largest cruise operator with two year-round ships carrying 400,000 passengers annually. The line will expand capacity on its short cruise program from New Orleans by 34 percent with the deployment of the Carnival Triumph in spring 2016.
For additional information and reservations on Carnival's departures from New Orleans or any other of its convenient North American homeports, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival
YouTube: www.youtube.com/carnival
Instagram: www.instagram.com/carnival
Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, www.carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 24 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The company currently has two new 133,500-ton ships on order--Carnival Vista, set to debut in 2016, and an as-yet-unnamed vessel scheduled to enter service in 2018.
About Second Harvest
Second Harvest Food Bank is leading the fight against hunger and building food security in South Louisiana by providing food access, advocacy, education and disaster response. Second Harvest provides food to 474 partners and programs across 23 parishes, from the Mississippi border to the Texas state line. Together, we make up the largest charitable anti-hunger network in the state. With our community's help, we can make food security a reality for every household in South Louisiana.
Second Harvest Food Bank is an affiliated ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, a member of Feeding America, and a United Way Partner Agency. To join us in the fight to end hunger, please visit www.no-hunger.org. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/2ndHarvestGNOA; fan us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/2ndHarvestGNOA or Instagram at @2ndHarvestGNOA.
About The American Institute of Architects
Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.
About New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints became a franchise in 1966 and are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The club was purchased by Tom Benson in 1985 and led the team to its first-ever winning record and playoff appearance in 1987. The Saints won Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 2, 2010 defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17. Led by Owner Tom Benson, the team is committed to making a difference in the Gulf Coast region through numerous community initiatives. For more information about the New Orleans Saints, please visit www.NewOrleansSaints.com.
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SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line
Vance Gulliksen/Jennifer de la Cruz, Carnival Cruise Line, (305) 406-5464, media@carnival.com
