TYLER, Texas – May 25, 2016 – Tyson Foods, Inc. donated $100,000 and a truckload of chicken today to East Texas Food Bank to help alleviate hunger in east Texas.
The donation will help increase the food bank’s distribution capacity as part of its “More Space, More Meals” capital expansion project. Plans include the construction of a new volunteer center, a nutrition education center, as well as warehouse expansion and renovation.
The donated product will be distributed to the food-insecure population in the food bank’s 26-county service area. With its network of 200 nonprofit agencies, the food bank distributed approximately 18.2 million meals last year.
“We are excited and grateful to Tyson Foods for making this important investment in building our future capacity,” said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Donations of such high-quality protein products are not easy to come by and our partners and clients will be thankful to receive them.”
Meat and poultry are nutrient dense foods, according to health experts, and can be especially helpful to people who need more protein. According to food banks nationwide, meat is the most requested and least available food. Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated more than 100 million pounds of protein in the United States.
“We’re proud to support East Texas Food Bank and appreciate its dedication to providing hunger relief for the people of its community,” said Annetta Tirey, director of corporate social responsibility for Tyson Foods. “From backpack feeding programs for kids, to the mobile pantry, the food bank is making a difference and this gift will help impact even more lives.”
Tyson Foods has been an active participant in the fight against hunger for over a decade, donating more than 100 million pounds of protein. The company partners with Share Our Strength, Lift Up America, and the League of United Latin American Citizens to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation, and among all processors, Tyson Foods is the largest donor of meat and poultry to Feeding America and its network of food banks. The company’s current “KNOW Hunger” campaign is focused on helping more people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. Last year, Tyson Foods pledged $50 million in cash or in-kind donations over the next five years in the continued fight against hunger.
To learn more about East Texas Food Bank and its hunger-relief efforts, visit http://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/.
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About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest food companies with leading brands such as Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells® and State Fair®. It’s a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts. The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and approximately 130 countries. Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. The company currently has approximately 113,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.
About East Texas Food Bank
The East Texas Food Bank provided more than 18 million meals each year to 200 partner agencies in 26 East Texas counties. Our vision is for a hunger-free East Texas and our mission is to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas. The East Texas Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and Feeding Texas. To learn more, please visit EastTexasFoodBank.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/etfoodbank or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/etfoodbank .
Contact:
Derek Burleson, Tyson Foods, 479-290-6466 or Derek.Burleson@TysonFoods.com
Karolyn Davis, East Texas Food Bank, 903-597-3663 or kdavis@easttexasfoodbank.org