DETROIT, Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® kicks off the next chapter for Mission Tiger by announcing a multiyear partnership with The Aspen Institute at its 2019 Project Play Summit, being held now in Detroit. This partnership will create the first-ever search for the best middle school sports programs in the country. The goal: Revitalize middle school sports by inspiring leaders to adopt models that serve the broadest swath of the student population.

Launched this year, Mission Tiger is an initiative spearheaded by Tony the Tiger® and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes that is dedicated to helping save middle school sports. The effort is a direct response to the troubling trend of defunded middle school sports programs. According to a new survey of middle school teachers engaged with nonprofit DonorsChoose.org, 6 in 10 feel that their middle school athletic programs are barely funded or underfunded. A lack of funding accounts for 47% of cuts to middle school sports programs, the survey finds.

"Frosted Flakes has long been dedicated to helping kids stay active, and just a month into Mission Tiger, we've already helped more than 83,000 students in need," said Doug VanDeVelde, General Manager of Kellogg U.S. Cereal Category. "But we cannot solve the lack of access to middle school sports by ourselves. That's why we're proud to partner with The Aspen Institute and Project Play to develop a much-needed model that other schools and communities can use to guide and ultimately positively impact middle school sports programs." 

In the coming months, Mission Tiger will partner with Aspen to design and implement the national search for the best middle school sports program model. The initiative adds to the work of Project Play, which develops breakthrough tools and knowledge to help build healthy communities through sports.

"Middle school is a time when many kids start to fall away from sports," said Tom Farrey, Executive Director, Sports & Society Program at The Aspen Institute. "It is essential that we develop solutions to keep them in the game so they may experience all of the health, academic and other benefits that participation can provide. This effort with Mission Tiger will fill an important gap in our knowledge and advance the goals of Project Play."

Kellogg Company is proud to be a sponsor of the Project Play Summit, the nation's premier gathering of leaders at the intersection of youth, sports and health. Stakeholders from across sectors take measure of the state of play, and create actionable next steps to building healthy children and communities through sports. 

More details about Project Play's and Mission Tiger's search for the best middle school model will be available in the coming months. To learn more about how to get involved with Tony the Tiger's mission, visit MissionTiger.com.

About Kellogg Company
At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we strive to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter. Our beloved brands include Pringles®, Cheez-It®, Special K®, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg's Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats®, Kashi®, RXBAR® and more. Net sales in 2018 were approximately $13.5 billion, comprised principally of snacks and convenience foods like cereal and frozen foods. Kellogg brands are beloved in markets around the world. We are also a company with Heart & Soul, committed to creating Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through our Kellogg's® Better Days global purpose platform. Visit www.KelloggCompany.com or www.OpenforBreakfast.com.

About The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a nonpartisan forum for values-based leadership and the exchange of ideas. Based in Washington, DC, the Institute also has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River in eastern Maryland, and maintains offices in New York City and several other cities. An initiative of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, Project Play develops, applies and shares knowledge that helps stakeholders build healthy communities through sports. Visit www.ProjectPlay.us to give sports back to kids.

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SOURCE Kellogg Company