Staff members at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore in Norfolk, hold some of the PERDUE® chicken products donated by Perdue Foods. From left to right are team member Michelle Parrish, volunteer Michael Prussock and team member Telmo Santos.
Perdue Farms Delivers 40,000 Pounds of Protein and $15,000 Grant to Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
August 1, 2018
Salisbury, Md. (August 1, 2018) — As part of a company commitment to fight hunger, Perdue Farms has delivered 40,000 pounds of no-antibiotics-ever chicken and a $15,000 grant to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. The protein donation represents more than 33,000 meals, while the grant, provided by the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, continues Perdue’s support of the Foodbank’s BackPack Program for children on Virginia’s rural Eastern Shore.
“Perdue Farms is an essential partner in our mission to eliminate hunger in Southeastern Virginia and on the Eastern Shore,” said Ruth Jones Nichols, CEO of the Foodbank. “The company’s generous donation of lean protein supports our efforts to improve the nutritional value of the food we provide to those struggling with hunger.”
Perdue and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore have been partners in the fight against hunger for more than 20 years and, together, have helped provide more than four million meals to seniors, families and children in their service area, where 1 in 7 people struggle with hunger.
“At Perdue, we believe that no one should go hungry. That’s why our long-standing partnership with Feeding America and the Foodback of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore are so important to our shared mission to end hunger,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. “As a food company, we take very seriously our responsibility to help our neighbors in Southeastern Virginia. We hope that our donations will help those struggling with knowing where their next meal will come from, and maybe it will inspire others to join us in supporting the food bank’s hunger relief programs.”
The Foodbank’s BackPack Program is a nationally replicated initiative providing nourishing food to children at high risk for hunger. It picks up where school meal programs leave off. Each distribution provides a child with five nutritious weekend/holiday meals, including main course items, oatmeal, fruit, vegetables and health snacks.
“Perdue’s continued support of our Backpack Program here on the Eastern Shore has enabled the Foodbank to ensure that 91 children receive the nutrition they need on the weekends when school is not in session,” said Charmin Horton, Eastern Shore Foodbank branch manager. “We are grateful for their generosity and commitment to hunger-relief efforts in our community.”
About the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, a member of Feeding America® and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, has been providing food for those facing hunger since 1981. Through fiscal year 2015, we have distributed over 246 million meals throughout our service area, which includes the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Franklin, and Virginia Beach as well as the counties of Southampton, Northampton, Sussex, Isle of Wight, and Accomack. For up-to-date information on the Foodbank, find us online at foodbankonline.org; like us on Facebook at facebook.com/SEVAFoodbank; or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/FoodbankSEVA. To give, text FEED to 757-550-3535.
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., and the company is the leader in 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.
