Families across the United States can help beat child hunger by teaming up with ConAgra Foods’ Peter Pan peanut butter brand and actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley in the “Pack a Peanut Butter Sandwich Day” program. Peter Pan kicked off the effort, which runs every Wednesday through the end of this month, with a $200,000 donation that will provide over 1 million meals to hunger-relief organization Feeding America.

Each Wednesday, participating parents and children take a peanut butter sandwich to work or school instead of buying lunch, and then donate their lunch money to Feeding America. According to the organization, $1 provides seven meals, so, based on an average school lunch price of about $2, for every lunch packed and every Wednesday’s lunch money donated, Feeding America calculates that it can help provide as many as 14 meals to needy kids.

To participate in the program, consumers can visit the Peter Pan peanut butter Web site at www.PeterPanPB.com. The site contains such program resources as posters and note cards, in addition to instructions on how to donate lunch money.

“Peter Pan peanut butter believes that no child in the United States should grow up hungry,” explained Karl Sears, VP/general manager of specialty foods at Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods. “That’s why we are making a donation that will provide more than 1 million meals to Feeding America, and we hope families will join us to make a difference.”

As well as raising funds, Peter Pan offers a storybook on its Web site that shows five simple ways families can combat child hunger, which affects one in five kids in the United States. ConAgra has provided both food and funds to the cause for more than 15 years, and through its charitable foundation, operates the Nourish Today, Flourish Tomorrow platform, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the nation’s nearly 17 million children who are at risk of going hungry.