SALISBURY, MD. (Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017) — As part of its commitment to fight hunger in its communities, Perdue Farms funded freezer and refrigeration equipment for FeedMore, Central Virginia’s core hunger-relief organization, helped stock it with a truckload of no-antibiotics-ever chicken and provided additional funding to purchase fresh produce. The donations support FeedMore’s Healthy Meals for Healthy Communities Initiative, benefitting families in need in Prince George, Hopewell and Petersburg.

Through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, a $10,000 grant enabled FeedMore to purchase the equipment for Prince George Churches Outreach pantry, a FeedMore partner agency located in Prince George, Va., near Perdue’s Mid-Atlantic Replenishment Center (MARC). Part of the funds will also support FeedMore’s produce purchase budget and help provide healthier food to families facing hunger.

A portion of the chicken helped feed 125 families as part of Prince George Churches Outreach weekly food distribution on Tuesday, Oct. 17. A volunteer team from the Perdue facility in Prince George assisted with the distribution.

“We are extremely grateful to have Perdue Farms standing beside us in the fight against hunger. The tremendous impact Perdue has made in our communities and their continued partnership enables us to distribute healthy food to families in need,” said Doug Pick, CEO for FeedMore. “Perdue Farms’ extraordinary, continuous support of our mission through the millions of pounds of donated sustainable, nutritious protein provides healthy sustenance to our neighbors in need. In addition, the investment Perdue Farms has made in Prince George Churches Outreach today with the new refrigerator and freezer will empower our partner agency to distribute more fresh food to their local community.”

Distributing healthy food to families who face hunger is the core component of FeedMore’s Healthy Meals for Healthy Communities Initiative. In the Prince George, Hopewell and Petersburg area, more than 17,700 individuals are considered living in food-insecure households. The Prince George Churches Outreach serves 1,500 individuals and distributes more than 300,000 pounds of food annually.

“I can’t tell you just how elated I was with the freezer and refrigerator. It literally brought tears to my eyes,” said Andrea Barnes, Prince George Churches Outreach Pantry director. “This new equipment will surely assist me being able to give more fresh food to our clients and put a little more food on their tables. I’m thankful to Perdue for thinking of our organization and for helping us continue our work right here in Prince George County.”

Perdue and FeedMore have been partners in the fight against hunger for 18 years and together have helped the more than 200,000 seniors, families and children in Central Virginia who struggle with hunger.

“We’re honored to support FeedMore in their mission to fight hunger through consistent donations of chicken and our associate volunteers,” said Dan Stein, director of operations at the MARC. He noted that nationwide since 2000, Perdue has donated more than 76 million pounds of protein through Feeding America, a national network of 200 food banks of which FeedMore is a valued partner. “That’s more than two tractor-trailer loads a week,” he said.

“At Perdue, we are committed to helping those struggling with hunger within the communities in which we work and live,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. “The FeedMore and Churches Outreach program reach out to find people where they are and address their hunger needs and ensure our neighbors have access to healthy food and support.”

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 third-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. We focus on continuously improving everything we do, constantly learning, and sharing those insights across different production methods. That innovative approach is driving change throughout the company and onto farms. This continuous advancement is leading us toward our vision of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. The PERDUE^® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. As we approach our 100^th 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. We’ve increased our support for the family farm by creating new markets, including specialty crops. Through agricultural services, we give farmers more options for the acre, including conversion to organic production and products and services that increase the sustainability of conventional agriculture. Learn more at www.perduefarms.com.

About FeedMore
FeedMore is Central Virginia’s core hunger-relief organization dedicated to providing neighbors in need with healthy meals and hope for a better tomorrow. With a service area that stretches across 34 cities and counties, FeedMore helps the nearly 200,000 children, families and seniors in Central Virginia who struggle with hunger. Working to efficiently and effectively fight hunger, FeedMore’s multi-tiered approach, comprehensive programs and network of more than 300 partner agencies are dedicated to providing neighbors who face hunger with one of the most basic necessities: nourishment. For additional information, please visit FeedMore.org, find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.