Salisbury, Md. (Tuesday, January 7, 2014) - Associates from Perdue Farms’ Perry, Ga., operations pledged a combined $67,506 in a recent campaign for the United Way of Central Georgia. The pledge includes a $6,750 grant provided by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms.

The United Way of Central Georgia is a non-profit organization that supports 39 Middle Georgia partner agencies dedicated to helping children and youth succeed, empowering individuals and families towards self-sufficiency, meeting basic needs and promoting health, wellness and safety.

The campaign allowed Perdue associates to use a simple payroll deduction process to individually support United Way partner agencies located in middle Georgia’s 13 counties centered throughout Macon, Perry, Fort Valley and Warner Robins.

Associate pledges will help fund 80 outreach programs and activities supported and financed by the local United Way partner agencies. The funds raised positively impact the local community by improving lives and supporting helping agencies to create sustained changes in community conditions, such as improved childcare services, tackling school dropout rates, reducing the number of teenage pregnancies, strengthening families, or providing living assistance to the elderly.

Associates contributing in the 2013 United Way campaign nearly contributed 67 percent of the original $100,000 goal despite very difficult economic times, several years in a row. Their generosity helps support an increased number of people in the surrounding local communities who are dependent on helping agencies like the United Way as a result of job losses, foreclosures and poor economic conditions.

The contributions from Perdue’s associate work force in Perry represent a significant impact to the Houston-Peach counties areas, according to Tim C. Luther, Resource Development Director, United Way of Central Georgia.

“Since 2006, Perdue Farms Inc. associates have contributed $469,442 towards the local partner agencies supported by the United Way of Central Georgia,” said Luther. “We greatly appreciate the support and giving of Perdue Farms for their continued support. Perdue Farms is a generous company that always gives back to the community. They are to be congratulated and recognized for their successful 2013 United Way campaign.”

As Wally Hunter, director of Perry processing operations, explains, “In this seventh campaign, Perdue Farms associates in Perry gave what they could to support the United Way of Central Georgia, giving back to their local community in very tough economic times. Not only am I proud of our team pulling together to make it a great 2013 campaign, but also appreciate key departmental workers for getting the United Way message out to associates and enabling them to help other people in their time of need.” 

“We are happy to help the United Way of Central Georgia,” said Craig Pugh, director of Perry cook operations. “At Perdue, where teamwork is important to success, we recognized again as a team the importance of neighbors helping neighbors.

Despite continued tough economic times, Perdue associates still managed to dig deep into their pockets to support their
local community. Their compassion for helping others is inspiring and I am very proud of our Perry Cook team.”

About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, HARVESTLAND® and COLEMAN NATURAL® and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products. Learn more about Perdue Farms and our Corporate Responsibility Report at www.perduefarms.com.

About the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The 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.™