WFP Ambassador Drew Brees Sets NFL Passing Record

Ambassador Against Hunger, Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, set an NFL record last night for most passing yards in a season. Brees broke the record of 5,084 yards held by Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino since 1984.

The Saints, by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, moved their record to 12-3 and prime position to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Earlier this season, Brees was named as an ambassador against hunger by the UN World Food Programme (WFP). You can view his press conference with WFP here.

Bettina Luescher, WFP spokesperson, says "We are cheering Drew on..He is not only an amazing football player but also tackling hunger on WFP's team. We could not ask for a more gracious and dedicated friend and partner."

Brees says, "WFP is a team working towards a single goal and that's something I can relate to. What struck me is how little it takes to make a difference. $15 is enough to feed a hungry child or mother for an entire month through WFP. That's just 50 cents per day."

Brees is a graduate of Purdue University which has strong programs on agricultural science. Purdue is also where Don Paarlberg, the first U.S. Food for Peace coordinator under President Dwight Eisenhower, taught for many years. Food for Peace is a U.S. sponsored global hunger fighting program that evolved after World War II and which partners with WFP.

Visit the famine relief page: WFP and Drew Brees: Saving Lives in the Horn of Africa