Red Nose Day helps feed the hungry

The inaugural Red Nose Day in the United States will be Thursday, May 21 and Days Inn Thermopolis will be participating to help feed the hungry.

Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign thrown by the nonprofit organization Comic Relief. In the UK, Red Nose Day has been going for 30 years.

According to general manager Mary Mills, Days Inn will be donating 10 percent of restaurant proceeds May 21 to the local People for People Backpack Program.

The program operates under the Episcopal Church’s non-profit status and provides backpacks of food to students to help fight hunger over the weekends. Every Friday, approximately 150 students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program receive a backpack with staples that require little or no preparation.

The celebration nationwide on May 21 will culminate with a 3-hour TV special on NBC featuring the country’s favorite comedians, musicians and stars.