BOWLING GREEN, KY. (Wednesday, June 28, 2023) — For more than a decade, Perdue Farms has partnered with the International Center of Kentucky in Bowling Green and Owensboro to help refugees and immigrants integrate and thrive through employment opportunities at its Cromwell, Kentucky, operation. On Saturday, June 24 at the World Refuge Day Festival in Bowling Green, the International Center unveiled two co-branded vehicles funded by Perdue Farms to support the Center’s World of Work Program in western Kentucky.

The World of Work Program is focused on educating refugees and immigrants who have been approved by the U.S. federal government to understand American and work culture, learn English, develop interview skills, and have transportation to job interviews and orientation, and drug testing.

“For many refugees, transportation is often a barrier to securing employment,” said Albert Mbanfu, CEO of the International Center of Kentucky. “Funding support from Perdue Farms for a 76-seat bus and a van helps eliminate that barrier and is an important part of a support structure that enables them to assimilate and integrate into the community.”

The vehicles were funded by a $50,000 Perdue Foundation grant. The donation from Perdue’s charitable giving arm is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors^® program to improve quality of life and build strong communities.

Perdue Farms employs 1,269 associates at its poultry harvest complex based in Cromwell. Approximately 53 percent of the workforce is composed of refugees and immigrants, representing 25 nationalities.

“At Perdue Farms, we celebrate the diversity of our workforce and the long partnership we’ve had with the International Center of Kentucky to bring opportunity to the refugee and immigrant population,” said Andrew Herndon, complex human resources manager for Perdue in Cromwell.

“Partnering with the International Center of Kentucky provides Perdue access to a diverse pool of skilled and motivated workers who bring unique perspectives, experiences, and cultural diversity to our workplace. This diversity can foster innovation, creativity, and problem-solving within the company,” he said.

Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, praised the work of the International Center of Kentucky.

“The Perdue Foundation is proud to support the wonderful work of the International Center and provide funding that removes a barrier for so many who have come to this country seeking a better way of life,” said Nechay.

About the International Center of Kentucky

The International Center of Kentucky is a refugee resettlement agency with headquarters in Bowling Green, Kentucky and a site office in Owensboro. Started in 1979, the International Center has helped to resettle over 10,000 refugees, victims of human trafficking, asylees, parolees, and others with similar status, as well as other immigrants from thirty countries around the globe. Working closely with the Department of State and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the International Center ensures that refugees and other immigrants with such status have a support structure that would enable them to fully integrate and thrive in the United States.

About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture^®.

About Perdue Farms
We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

The premium protein portfolio within our Perdue Foods business, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Meats®, Coleman Natural®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Spot Farms® and Full Moon®, is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. 

Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company.  

Now in our company’s second century, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey, pork, beef, and lamb, and in USDA-certified organic chicken and beef. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.