RITZ® Brand Celebrates Foster Parents this Mother's and Father's Day with Inspiring "Foster Welcome" Campaign

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05/06/2021 - 09:00 AM

EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the RITZ brand, one of America's favorite crackers, launches a campaign titled "Foster Welcome" to celebrate foster parents this Mother's Day and Father's Day. In partnership with the National Foster Parent Association, the program shines a light on foster moms and dads and their role in helping children in need feel welcome. "Foster Welcome" is the next iteration of the RITZ purpose platform, "A Taste of Welcome," which aims to promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging by recognizing underrepresented groups of people and highlighting their unique experiences.

As a continuation of the brand's mission to make the world a more welcoming place, RITZ is celebrating and raising awareness around foster parents and the impact they have on the children they welcome into their lives. In the U.S., there are approximately 424,000 foster children¹ supported by foster parents who assume an immense responsibility and open their homes to give children a sense of home.

"Mother's Day and Father's Day are the perfect occasions to celebrate all the foster parents who might not get the recognition they deserve during this time of year," says Santiago Gomez Bernal, Associate Marketing Director at RITZ. "Through our partnership with the National Foster Parent Association, we've learned there is much more to be done to help and support the incredible work these parents do every day. With this partnership, we hope to elevate their inspiring stories and raise awareness around how meaningful it is to be a foster mom or dad, from large families to single parents to same sex parents, they are truly the ultimate welcomers, and we are honored to share their stories."

As part of the program, RITZ released a long form video, titled "Foster Welcome," which illustrates the emotional, but exciting experience of welcoming a new foster child into the family. Created in partnership with The Martin Agency and the National Foster Parent Association, the team worked together to ensure the story brought to life the authentic and real emotions foster parents and children experience during this first meeting. The video encapsulates the nervousness and excitement a foster parent often feels, and allows the viewer to appreciate the important role these parents play in supporting children's lives.

"At the National Foster Parents Association, we prioritize the education and advocacy for foster parents across the country," said Irene Clements, Executive Director of the National Foster Parents Association. "We are thrilled to have the support of RITZ Crackers and know their work to celebrate foster parents means so much to the foster community. We hope that this program from RITZ and our partnership will inspire those interested in making a difference to join us in welcoming children into their families."

RITZ has also created fun and playful Instagram stickers for foster parents to use when sharing photos of their family. For privacy reasons, in some states, foster parents are unable to share the identity of their foster kids when posting on social. They have had to resort to editing photos with censor bars or other icons, like hearts, which often block the child's joyful smile. With these stickers, RITZ is providing an alternative and letting users access these stickers simply by typing in #FosterWelcome into the sticker search bar on Instagram Stories to share photos of their families.

For more information, visit TasteofWelcome.com and follow RITZ on Facebook and Instagram.

About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2019 net revenues of approximately $26 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as OREO, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.
¹Nielsen, Total US xAOC+C — 52 weeks ending 6/27/20