Salisbury, Md. (January 15, 2013) — Associates from Perdue Farms’ Perry, Ga., processing and cook operations pledged a combined $80,736 in a recent campaign for the United Way of Central Georgia. The pledge includes a $7,048 grant provided by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation.

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.

The contributions from Perdue associates and the Foundation 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.

“The United Way greatly appreciates the support and giving of Perdue Farms for their 2012 United Way campaign,” said Luther. “It was a great success and they exceeded their 2011 campaign total. Perdue Farms is a generous company that always gives back to the community. They are to be congratulated and recognized for their successful 2012 United Way campaign.”

Wally Hunter, Perry processing plant director of operations, said, “In this sixth 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 for making it a great 2012 campaign, but I am also very thankful to our 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 Larry Wade, director of operations at the Perry cook plant. “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 team.”

About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue Agribusiness, and represents the Perdue family ownership.  Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, through expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the Perdue brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, to our third-generation of family leadership with chairman, Jim Perdue, we’ve remained a family-owned, family-operated dedicated to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. To learn more about Perdue, visit www.perdue.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 estate 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.