Newman's Own announced it is putting the faces and personal stories of children it supports through its grantee partners on its packaging for the first time, starting with children who have attended SeriousFun Children's Network (SeriousFun) camps. SeriousFun, also founded by Paul Newman, is a community of free, adaptive summer camps for kids with serious illnesses. The change is part of a modern new packaging rollout for the brand, to help it stand out to new and existing customers on shelves.

Clayton from North Carolina, siblings Gabe and Angelica from Florida, Sophie from Ohio, and siblings Sarah and Akeem from New York will be among the first beneficiaries featured on select Newman's Own products, beginning with fan favorite pizzas, including Thin & Crispy Uncured Pepperoni, Thin & Crispy Four Cheese, and Thin & Crispy Margherita:

  • Clayton, age 10: Born with cerebral palsy, Clayton gets around with a walker and wheelchair. His parents were nervous about letting him go to camp because they hadn't left him anywhere overnight, other than the three months he was in the hospital as a newborn. Clayton was so excited. SeriousFun camps are designed with adaptations so that nothing is off limits for kids with different abilities, and his parents Bonswa and Avie say the experience "was amazing for him."
  • Gabe and Angelica, age 17: Twins Gabe and Angelica share many things, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which makes the body prone to injury. The kinds of physical activities most kids engage in can be dangerous for them, but at their SeriousFun camp, both discovered their passions. For Angelica, it was archery, and now she's a competitive archer. For Gabe, it was the theater. "I was never in that type of environment before," Gabe says, "but camp helped me realize where my interests really were."
  • Sophie, age 16: When Sophie first learned about SeriousFun camps at age 10, she couldn't wait to go. She has juvenile arthritis, and some days it can be so painful she can't get out of bed, but SeriousFun camps are made for kids like her. "What's really cool," says Sophie, "is that I can do everything there without having to worry, 'How in the world am I going to do this?' They already have a plan in place for me."
  • Sarah and Akeem, ages 18 and 14: For siblings Sarah and Akeem, who have sickle cell disease, attending a SeriousFun camp is a chance to do things they've only dreamed of, in the company of other kids with similar serious illnesses. Sarah could swim in a heated pool specially designed for kids like her, and Akeem could ride horses, play basketball, and perform in the camp talent show. "Camp was somewhere I could go to be myself," Sarah says, "and bring out a part of me that the regular world couldn't see."

"Newman's Own brings joy to kids with serious illness through its support of organizations like SeriousFun Children's Network," said Nicole Malcolm-Manyara, chief marketing officer of Newman's Own, Inc. "As we carry on Paul Newman's radically good legacy, we are humbled to be able to tell the stories of these kids on our food and beverage products, so consumers can learn more about and connect with the impact they are making when they purchase Newman's Own products, such as frozen pizza, pasta sauce, salad dressing, popcorn, refrigerated drinks, and cookies."

Since Paul Newman opened the first SeriousFun camp in 1988, SeriousFun has delivered more than 1.5 million life-changing experiences to children living with more than 100 different medical conditions and their families, from 50 countries, totally free of charge. The camps are designed with adaptations and medical support for kids with different abilities so that nothing is off limits, and the campers can find connections with others with similar illnesses. The camps have proven to have a lasting impact, including the development of self-identity and self-confidence, appreciation of diversity, and the willingness to try new things.

To learn more about the children Newman's Own supports through its various grantee partners or to find products in a store near you, follow the QR code on the brightly colored new packaging of Newman's Own food and beverage products, visit NewmansOwn.com, or follow the brand on Instagram @NewmansOwn.