4.5 Million Servings* of Protein Sourced Through Initiative
KANSAS CITY, Mo.–Sep.26, 2018–̳ and Feeding America®today announced the results of a two-year project focused on empowering local food banks todevelopinnovativeanimalproteinsourcingprogramstoaddress hunger on the community level.
The ̳ Protein Innovation Fund provided $1 million to 10 Feeding America food banksin ninestatesto fund protein sourcing projects that havethepotential to be scaled and replicated across the Feeding America network.
“For the40million people facing hunger in the U.S., it’s not only important for Feeding America to help provide enough food to meet basic needs, but also to provide more nutritious food,” said Matt Knott,president of Feeding America. “We aregrateful for ̳’continued partnership with Feeding America and theirdedicationto increasing access to protein-rich meals that many foodinsecure families need to have a well-balanced diet.”
The investment yielded more than 1.1 million pounds of protein sourced and distributed in the first two years of the project or4.5million servings.
“We knew our food banks had innovative ideas about how to help our hungry neighbors access more protein,” said Matt Pakula, senior manager, corporate social responsibility ̳.“Theprotein innovation fund grants made it possible for them to experiment and make their food banks more agile to better meet the needs of those struggling with food insecurity.”
Highlights include $175,000 awarded to the Arkansas Food Bank in Little Rock, Arkansas, which served as thelead food bank in a collaborative model that constructeda centralized, coldrepacking center. Meat and poultry donations,as well as frozen produce, arerepackaged into smaller portions and distributed to Feeding America food banks acrossthe state.
“Thanks to the Tyson Protein InnovationFund, weare able to meet the needs of not only the people in our service area but the needs of 515,000 hungry Arkansans and the partner agencies that serve them,” says Arkansas Foodbank CEO Rhonda Sanders.“The Repackaging Center helps maximize the amount of donated product we receive in order to reduce both systemic food waste and costs to ourselves and our members.”
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma was awarded $50,000 tofund an on-site repack room andsecureFFA donations tocreate protein snack sticks distributedin backpackstofood insecure children.Nearly aquarter of a million pounds of protein was sourced as a result of this project.
“We are so thankful to ̳ and its support in helping us feed Oklahomans living with hunger,” said Katie Fitzgerald,CEO of the Regional Food Bank. “The grant from ̳ helped the Regional Food Bank provide healthy sources of protein to chronically hungry children, seniors living on fixed incomes and hardworking families struggling to make ends meet.”
In Florida, Feeding Tampa Bay was awarded $50,000 to hire a full-time staff member whose mainfunctionis identifying and pursuing sources of wasted food in their local supply chain. As a result, more than 430,000pounds of protein was rescued and redirected back into the community.
Other project highlights include:
2016
Northern IllinoisFood Bank– Geneva, Ill. – 108,049 pounds of protein was sourced by partnering with a local processor.
Central Pennsylvania Food Bank – Harrisburg, Pa. – 20,000poundsof protein was sourced by increasing the food bank’s visibility to the local agricultural community at county fairs and developing marketing materials to promote the food bank as an option for livestock donation.
St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance – Phoenix, Ariz.– 113,407 pounds of protein was sourced by partnering with a local processor to distribute ground beef to food bank clients.
2017
Northern Illinois Food Bank –Geneva, Ill. – 212,477 pounds of protein was sourced by establishing a relationship with a local protein donor and was shared with other Feeding America food banks in the region.
Harvesters–The Community Food Network, Kansas City, Mo. – UponreceivingUSDA certification inMay 2018, 37,848pounds of protein has been sourced through a repackroom that allows the food bank to accept donations of bulk meat, fish and poultry they would have had to decline in the past.
West Michigan Food Bank,ComstackPark, Mich.– 3,833 pounds of protein has been sourced through the “Grand Champion Giving” program that connects farmers, ranchers and others willing to donate animals.
Philabundance,Philadelphia, Pa.– An ongoing pilot project is estimated to add 2 million pounds of protein to the network by rescuing protein through import and export channels at the port.
*One serving= ¼ pound of protein.
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About ̳
̳ Inc. (NYSE:TSN) is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. ̳ innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has122,000 teammembers. Through its Core Values, ̳ strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visitwww.tysonfoods.com.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the UnitedStates. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.
Contact:
Derek Burleson– 479-290-6466orDerek.Burleson@Tyson.com