FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kay Carter, CEO
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
(704)375-9639 ext. 16
kcarter@secondharvest.org
Perdue Farms Makes 10,000 Pound Protein Donation to Second Harvest Food Bank and Kicks off 2nd Year of School-Based Mobile
Pantry Program in Concord, NC
School-based mobile pantry at Winecoff Elementary made possible by Perdue's Foundation
(CHARLOTTE, NC) – October 11, 2016 – Perdue Farms made a 10,000-pound donation of chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina this morning. Some of the meat donated was used this afternoon to kick off the start of school-based mobile pantry in Cabarrus County this year at Winecoff Elementary in Concord. The school-based mobile pantry is being funded by a $10,000 donation from The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms. Perdue associates will volunteer at the pantry.
Children and their families at risk of hunger at Winecoff Elementary received staple pantry items, as well as Perdue chicken, fresh bread, fresh produce, dairy and bread at the pantry. This provided families with 20 to 30 pounds of groceries, helping to provide significant financial savings to the budgets of families struggling to make ends meet. 4,000 pounds of food was distributed to 135 families. Winecoff Elementary currently has a free-reduced lunch rate of over 90 percent. The school is located near the Perdue Farms plant in Concord.
“We are excited to partner again with Perdue to provide meat and other healthy, nutritious items to children and families at Winecoff Elementary”, says Kay Carter, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. “We are working really hard to find more funding to bring the program to other high poverty schools in Cabarrus County. It is really important for children to have the nourishment they need to be ready to learn when they arrive to school each day.”
This is the 2nd year of the school-based mobile pantry program at Winecoff Elementary. The program, which helps supplement backpack programs at high poverty schools, is designed so that SHFBM is able to arrive and unload a truck full of food, set up a mini shopping experience, allow 150 – 250 families in need to shop and then pack up – all within a matter of 2 ½ hours. SHFBM expects to conduct over 150 of these pantries at schools in the area throughout the school year and summer.
In Cabarrus County Second Harvest Food Bank supports six Child Hunger Programs, including four Backpack Programs and two Kids Cafes. There are more than 8,600 children in Cabarrus County living at or below the poverty level. Child Hunger is a top priority at the Food Bank.
SEE PHOTOS BELOW OF PERDUE CHICKEN DONATION AND CHECK PRESENTATION
About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART®, PERDUE® HARVESTLAND®, COLEMAN PREMIUM® and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products. Learn more about Perdue Farms at www.perduefarms.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 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 Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
As part of Feeding America, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina - serves 19 counties in North and South Carolina. In FY2015-2016, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina distributed over 50 million pounds of food and household items to almost 650 hunger feeding agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low-income daycares.
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To request a media kit or photos please contact:
D Roseborough at (704) 375-9639, EXT. 11 or droseborough@secondharvest.org
Marketing/Media/News Contact