Perdue Farms associates deliver $10,000 grant and 20,000 pounds of protein to the Food Bank of the Albemarle. From left to right are Carolyn Anderson, Food Bank Director of Special Events and Food Sourcing; Reginald Cubbage, Perdue Plant Manager; Alphonso Phillips, Perdue Associate; Gloria Gatling, Perdue Superintendent; Dennis Lawrence, Perdue Associate; and Jeff Stalls, Perdue Director of Operations.
Perdue Delivers $10,000 Grant and 21,000 Pounds of Chicken to Food Bank of the Albemarle
July 6, 2018
Salisbury, Md. (Friday, July 6, 2018) — As part of its commitment in the fight against hunger, Perdue Farms has donated a $10,000 grant through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation and delivered more than 21,000 pounds of no-antibiotics-ever chicken to continue support for the Food Bank of the Albemarle Mobile Food Pantry serving western Bertie County. The Mobile Food Pantry provides nutritious food to those struggling with hunger in the Lewiston-Woodville, Kelford and Roxobel communities in Eastern North Carolina.
“The Perdue Foundation is one of our strongest partners in the fight against hunger,” said Food Bank of the Albemarle Executive Director Liz Reasoner. “We are especially grateful for the continued funding support and protein donation made by Perdue to help the families facing food insecurity in western Bertie County.”
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, more than 4,600 people in Bertie County, or 22.7 percent of the population, are food insecure with an estimated 930 being children under 18 years of age. There are more than 2,000 senior citizens living at or below the poverty line in Bertie County.
“The Mobile Pantry Program in Bertie County is providing a powerful resource in the fight against hunger and a platform for our associates to engage in helping their neighbors,” said Jeff Stalls, director of Perdue operations in Lewiston. Perdue associates regularly assist with the monthly food distributions. “There are so many people right here in our local communities who struggle to put food on the table. We’re proud to continue our support through our partnership with the Food Bank of the Albemarle.”
The mobile pantry is held the third Monday of each month at the First Baptist Church located at 408 E. Church Street in Kelford from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The distribution is currently serving an average of 169 individuals per month, and provides much-needed protein, fresh produce and other nutritious food to the hungry men, women and children of the area. Of all households who receive food assistance in Bertie County, 19 percent are served through the food bank’s mobile food pantry. The Food Bank estimates that Bertie County residents will receive more than 78,000 meals through the mobile food pantry through June 2019.
Reasoner explains that many clients of Food Bank of the Albemarle have health issues, limited access to health services and are unaware of the resources available to help them gain self-sustainability. For this reason, Food Bank staff provide the mobile food pantry clients with on-site outreach, education and when possible, health screenings through engagement with community resources such as Vidant Bertie Hospital, Albemarle Regional Health Services and Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center. Additionally, the hunger-relief organization will collaborate with the Bertie County Cooperative Extension Service to provide the clients with resources and guidance on nutrition and healthy eating.
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 PERDUE® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., we’re the largest producer of organic chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2020, 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 and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. Learn more at www.perduefarms.com..
About Food Bank of the Albemarle
The Mission of the Food Bank of the Albemarle is to fight hunger and poverty in our 15-county service area in northeast North Carolina. We are a regional clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and grocery items to 145 non-profit and faith-based organizations for their food programs, and to eligible individuals for their food needs. For more information call (252) 335-4035 or visit www.afoodbank.org
