• by Tanya Gazdik , September 9, 2010

Weight Watchers is launching its third annual "Lose For Good" campaign, an initiative to fight hunger by increasing awareness of the issue and helping provide access to healthy food for those in need.

Through Oct. 23, as Weight Watchers members and online subscribers lose weight and participate in other activities, the company will donate up to $1 million to two leading hunger-fighting organizations -- Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. Weight Watchers has donated more than $2 million to its charitable partners, and its members have donated over 3.5 million pounds of food to food banks nationwide during previous efforts.

Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning recording artist Jennifer Hudson is joining the effort, and will take part in media appearances and star in a national TV spot that encourages Americans to get healthy and give back. Hudson will visit a New York City school as part of the campaign to help educate families on how to prepare healthy, low-cost meals, while spreading the message that increasing access to healthy food is an important step in fighting both hunger and obesity.

The campaign includes a Web site (www.weightwatchers.com/loseforgood) where Weight Watchers members will be encouraged to build "Success Walls" constructed of collected food that represent their weight loss. They can then donate the food on or around Oct. 23 (Donation Day) via an official Weight Watchers meetup at a food bank or food drive by visiting www.meetup.com/weightwatchers. Select Weight Watchers meeting locations will be holding local food drives throughout the duration of the campaign where members can donate food that will be given to local food banks.

Weight Watchers has added a "Lose For Good" tab on its Facebook page to post updated information and videos. During "Action Tuesdays, the six Tuesdays during the campaign, Weight Watchers eTools subscribers and Weight Watchers Online subscribers will be invited to participate in specific tasks, and for each task, Weight Watchers will donate $1 to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger (up to $5,000 per Tuesday as part of the larger corporate donation).

On Sept. 23, Weight Watchers will host Lose-A-Palooza, a one-day social media event. Weight Watchers will donate $1 to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger for every accepted mention or acknowledgment of "Lose For Good" made through blogs, Twitter, Facebook and check-ins via foursquare (up to $60,000 as part of the larger corporate donation).