More than 700 dozen eggs delivered to Indiana food banks

“HATCH the Holidays” delivered 720 dozen eggs to food banks in Lafayette and Bloomington, IN, after the two communities participated in a Twitter contest that raised awareness about the "HATCH for Hunger" program.
With many holiday recipes calling for eggs, their absence in food banks is acutely felt during this season. Not only do eggs make the perfect pumpkin pie, but they are also a source of high-quality protein and nutrients.

HATCH the Holidays is an extension of the HATCH for Hunger program, which already has brought more than 104,000 eggs to food-insecure families throughout Indiana and is facilitating egg donations in grocery stores throughout Indiana. HATCH for Hunger is a program run by Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly & Co. and was launched this spring in partnership with Rose Acre Farms and The Kroger Co.

So far, HATCH – with the help of HATCH the Holidays donations – have given 412,080 eggs to families in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and Ohio this December.

"When we heard about HATCH, we were eager to get on campus and tell more people," said Katie Nobbe, the Indiana University Panhellenic Council Vice President of Community Involvement. "Helping people in our community to have access to proper nutrition, like the quality protein and nutrients eggs have, is a passion for many of our sororities on campus. HATCH the Holidays is a wonderful way we can give back to families in Bloomington this winter."

During the Twitter competition, fans and friends of Indiana University and Purdue University competed virtually over the weekend of the IU vs. Purdue football game in Lafayette to win eggs for their local food bank. The school that received the most tweets that included both #HATCHtheHolidays and the hashtag of their school name won the egg drop. Total number of tweets from the Purdue community were 702, with IU enthusiasts tweeting 407 times. Due to the broad reach of the promotion, HATCH decided to thank both communities for their participation with an egg drop for both of 720 dozen eggs.

“One in seven Hoosiers is food-insecure, meaning they do not have access to enough nutritious food,” said Katy O’Malley Bunder, CEO and president of Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette. “Our food bank serves more than 86,000 residents who currently struggle to know where their next meal will come from. Eggs are a nutritious product that everyone wants, but they are not often found in food pantries. We are so happy that HATCH is working to provide us with eggs for the holiday season and beyond so that we can help families access the nutritious food that they need.”

Food Finders Food Bank and the Hoosier Hills Food Bank has distributed eggs to more than 1,800 families from the Twitter competition.

Patrick Cudahy donates $50,000 to Hunger Task Force

Patrick Cudahy, the makers of sweet apple wood smoked bacon, is teaming up with Pick ‘n Save to Lend a Helping Ham this holiday season by feeding local families in need.
Bud Matthews, senior VP of Patrick Cudahy, and Jake Poad, store director of Pick ‘n Save, recently presented a $5,000 check to Sherrie Tussler, the executive director of Hunger Task Force, at a Wisconsin Pick ‘n Save store. Hunger Task Force provides a safety net of emergency food to a network of local food pantries and meal programs. It is the only food bank in Milwaukee that does not charge for food, delivery or network membership.
The money was raised through a promotion with Pick ‘n Save, a retail banner under Roundy's Supermarkets. Since November, Patrick Cudahy has been matching the price of purchases made by deli customers at participating Pick ‘n Save stores.
"During this holiday season, we understand the importance of giving back to our local community and feeding those in need," said Matthews. "This is why we partnered with Pick ‘n Save and our friends at Hunger Task Force to help make a difference."
"The donation with Patrick Cudahy to Hunger Task Force reinforces our commitment to giving back to the community we work and live in," said Jessie W. Terry, chief human resource officer, Roundy's. "It's our privilege to make this contribution during the holiday season."
The promotion will continue to run through Dec. 31. Customers can help by donating hams online, directly to Hunger Task Force.
"Partnering with our friends at Patrick Cudahy right before the holidays is a great help to Hunger Task Force and to families who need some help in our community. We're grateful for this long-standing relationship and look forward to collecting many, many holiday hams," said Sherrie Tussler, executive director of Hunger Task Force.
Patrick Cudahy is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

Carando donates 800 holiday hams to 'Feed the Children'

Carando, the artisans of Classic Italian Meats, teamed with long-time food service customer Fazoli's by donating 800 holiday hams in support of Feed the Children and the St. Louis Dream Center as they celebrated St. Louis-area military families.
The event hosted a total of 800 military and civilian families who received food and essentials that filled two semitrucks at the O'Fallon Rec Center in St. Louis as part of Feed the Children's Homefront Harvest Initiative. The program included seven feeding events throughout the county in honor of military families and their service to our country.
"Our friends at Fazoli's brought Feed the Children's Homefront Harvest Initiative to our attention and we immediately wanted to be a part of this community event," said Dan Incaudo, general manager, Carando. "We at Carando were extremely humbled to be able to help so many families in need as part of this initiative."
Carando's support of the event was made as part of the Carando Cares program, an ongoing campaign established in 2013 to support organizations making a positive difference in local communities. Carando Cares has already made more than $250,000 in monetary and in-kind donations since the program's inception.
At the event in St. Louis, pre-identified families received a 25-pound box of food that included one Carando holiday ham; a 10-pound box of much-needed essentials like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and personal-care items; an Avon box with assorted Avon products provided by Fazoli's and coats from Soles4Souls.
"Fazoli's is a popular place for families. So, it's really rewarding to be able to help other families in need—especially right here in St. Louis," said Fazoli's CEO Carl Howard.
"The St. Louis Dream Center exists to lead people to have faith, find freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference," said Jeremy Pickens, Director of Food Ministries and Special Events. "Through this event we sought to make a difference in the St. Louis area by providing much-needed help and support for the less fortunate."
"Together we provided food and essentials, as well as a message of appreciation to these families," said Travis Arnold, Feed the Children Interim CEO/President and COO. "Feed the Children is proud to partner with Carando through Fazoli's and the St. Louis Dream Center in an effort to honor those who serve our country."

Foster Farms makes substantial donation to food banks

Foster Farms kicked off the holiday season with a donation of 4,000 turkeys – or 64,000 pounds – to six food banks in California, Oregon and Washington. The holiday donations, an annual tradition for Foster Farms, help address the issue of food insecurity on the West Coast. Each food bank received 640-700 turkeys, or 10,000-11,000 pounds, to help serve a total of more than 66,000 meals. Protein is one of the most needed items at food banks and Foster Farms is working to provide greater access to lean protein.
Through its holiday turkey donation program, Foster Farms aims to draw attention to the millions of West Coast individuals who do not have enough to eat. In both California and Washington, roughly 1 in 7 households – or about 14 percent of all households – did not have enough to eat at some point during 2014. In Oregon, approximately 1 in 6 households are food insecure. These numbers are felt more acutely during the winter months when people rely more heavily on food banks for their next meal.
“Giving back to the communities we serve is a priority for us,” said Foster Farms Director of Communications Ira Brill. “Every family deserves a traditional holiday meal. Our intent is to provide West Coast families with a hearty meal while addressing the need for food donations – and much-needed protein – especially during the holiday season. We hope other companies and individuals will join Foster Farms in donating.”
“Turning away families in need because we don’t have enough turkeys is our worst case scenario,” said Paul Ash, executive director of the SF-Marin Food Bank, who was concerned going into this year’s holiday season due to rumors of turkey shortages nationwide. “We were fortunate to have been able to serve a proper Thanksgiving meal to our participants this year and are grateful to a trusted partner like Foster Farms for helping making it possible.” The SF-Marin Food Bank is one of several Foster Farms partner food banks that benefited from the nearly 64,000 pounds of turkey donated this holiday season.
In partnership with West Coast food banks throughout 2015, Foster Farms helped serve more than 110,000 meals – or 106,300 pounds of poultry – in California, Oregon and Washington. In addition, Foster Farms’ Food 4 Thought program with Second Harvest Food Bank has provided 4,500 Central Valley elementary school students with more than 1.3 million pounds of food since 2009.
The company also had the honor of raising this year’s National Thanksgiving Turkey that was pardoned by President Obama at the annual White House ceremony on Nov. 25.

Carando makes substantial donation to 'Turkey Tuesday'

Carando, the artisans of Classic Italian Meats, has teamed up with Bashas' to donate $1,000 and 160 Spiral Sliced Hams as part of the annual Turkey Tuesday campaign in Phoenix, AZ.
Carando Regional Sales Manager Ray Hall presented the $1,000 check and a pallet of 160 hams, weighing nearly 2,000 pounds, to Rob Johnson from Bashas' and Todd Cooley from The Society of St. Vincent de Paul. This is the first time hams have been a part of the Turkey Tuesday campaign.
"Turkey Tuesday is the type of event that makes a substantial and lasting impact on the local communities here in Phoenix and the surrounding areas," said Dan Incaudo, Carando general manager. "We, at Carando, are extremely humbled to be able to help so many families in need by providing 160 hams and financial support to such an incredible cause."
Turkey Tuesday is the largest one-day turkey drive in the nation. It has become a Thanksgiving tradition for many Arizona families, schools and businesses.
The donation was made as part of the Carando Cares program, an ongoing campaign established in 2013 to support organizations making a positive difference in local communities. Carando Careshas has already made more than $250,000 in monetary and in-kind donations since the program's inception.
For more information about Carando Cares, please visit www.carando.com. Carando is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

John Morrell extends its efforts with No Kid Hungry program

John Morrell on Monday extended its efforts to help fight hunger with a donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Together with Homeland Stores, the company donated 500 pounds of John Morrell ham to the nonprofit. John Morrell has also matched Homeland Stores' customers' donations of $8,890 to support No Kid Hungry's® work to end childhood hunger in America, totaling $17,780.
The event is a local complement to the brand's commitment to No Kid Hungry, which is helping to end childhood hunger in this country by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and have healthy meals in the summer, and that their families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. In 2013, John Morrell announced that it was supporting No Kid Hungry to ensure all children in America have the healthy food they need, every day.
"John Morrell's partnership with No Kid Hungry is an excellent way for us to make a difference by helping children and families in need get the food they need," said Chuck Gitkin, senior vice president, marketing, Smithfield Foods. "Supporting the fight against hunger in the communities where we work and live is important to everyone at Smithfield Foods. We are proud of our relationship with No Kid Hungry, and are thankful for the support of partners such as Homeland Stores."
One in four children in the state of Oklahoma struggles with hunger. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma City partners with No Kid Hungry to help provide a solution by empowering families with skills to prepare healthy and affordable meals at home.
"One of the hardest donations for the Regional Food bank to secure is protein, a much-needed dietary staple," said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. "We want to thank John Morrell for their donation of 500 pounds of ham. It will help many of our Oklahoma neighbors, who often have to forego protein in their diet in favor of less expensive food choices."
For more information about No Kid Hungry and to join John Morrell in supporting the campaign, please click here.

HATCH extends program after donating 100K eggs

After providing 100,039 eggs to more than 8,000 families in Indiana during a 10-week pilot program, HATCH has announced it will extend its program with The Kroger Co. and Rose Acre Farms through 2015. This announcement was made during a special event at Gleaners Food Bank, one of two food banks distributing HATCH eggs to food pantries throughout Central Indiana. Officials also said HATCH, which is providing a new way consumers, food stores and farmers can work together to make eggs available to undernourished people, will continue exploring opportunities to expand its reach to other communities.
“HATCH is becoming a sustainable model for how people can work together locally to fight undernourishment and make a real, tangible difference in their communities,” said Bert Payne, operations leader for HATCH for Hunger at Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company. “The beauty of HATCH is that it is giving more people access to nutrient-rich eggs, even in the face of today’s higher prices due to reduced U.S. egg supplies.”
The HATCH pilot program, which involved 65 Central Indiana Kroger stores, provided one egg to a local food bank for each dozen Kroger-brand medium eggs purchased from April 13 through June 20. So far, 8,336 dozen (100,039 eggs) have been donated through Gleaners Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank.
“HATCH is gratitude, and gratitude is the smiles and thanks of the people receiving the eggs,” said Cindy Hubert, president and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank. “One mother who received HATCH eggs told me, ‘the HATCH program gave us the opportunity to have healthy food for breakfast instead of just eating junk food … it makes a difference.'"
Even as one in four children in Marion County, IN, lives in poverty, many more people throughout the United States also are chronically undernourished. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals, which makes them especially helpful in the fight against hunger. One egg provides nutrients that can improve brain function in people of all ages, and delivers half the protein a young child needs each day.
"Rose Acre Farms is proud to partner with Elanco and Kroger on a project as critical as hunger," said Amanda Jackson, director of sales, Rose Acre Farms. "HATCH has been a tremendous success due to the support of our local communities and Kroger shoppers. We recognize that nutritious foods are often hard to obtain for food-insecure families and that America’s food banks find it incredibly difficult to acquire high-quality proteins. We are thrilled to meet this need by providing healthy, nutrient-dense eggs that will provide the protein and essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial for muscle, brain and eye development."
"We are extremely proud of the generosity of Kroger customers and associates who rallied behind HATCH to help neighbors put nutritious food on their plates,” said John Elliott, manager of public affairs, The Kroger Co. “That’s why we are thrilled to announce the extension of HATCH in 65 Central Indiana stores through Dec. 31. Like our long-standing Perishable Donation Partnership, which has donated more than 195 million meals to community food banks, HATCH is another way we can work together to combat undernourishment.”
Elanco, the company that developed HATCH for Hunger, plans to build on the HATCH pilot program to develop similar initiatives that can bring food security to other locations in the United States and additional countries.

Need for donations is ongoing for Texas flood disaster-relief efforts

In the wake of the devastation caused by recent historic floods in Texas, the Capital Area Food Bank continues to organize disaster-relief efforts in Austin, TX, and has an ongoing need for donations. This effort is in keeping with the food bank's mission to create access to good, healthy food for people in every community, 
As a contribution to these enduring relief efforts, Smithfield is bringing a 25,000-pound protein donation to the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin. H-E-B, a longstanding Smithfield retailer and dedicated supporter of the food bank and its community, is partnering with Smithfield to bring this protein to the affected areas.
"Our communities are invested in an immediate and long-term recovery and rebuilding stage. These generous donations from Smithfield and H-E-B could not be more well-timed, as the Capital Area Food Bank prepares for the sustained food distribution that is needed by those afflicted by the devastation," said Hank Perret, President and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. "Protein product is one of the most requested and expensive food items for our clients, yet, nutritionally, it is invaluable. These contributions from Smithfield and H-E-B will help close this gap and make a lasting impact on the Capital Area Food Bank's response to this unprecedented challenge."
"Providing aid in times of disaster is the cornerstone of H-E-B's Helping Here philosophy, which promises to stand by communities during times of need," said Leslie Sweet, H-E-B's Director of Public Affairs in Central Texas. "For the past month, H-E-B has worked closely with first responders to provide disaster relief for flood victims, many of whom are our loyal customers. The recovery effort will take months, so it's important to continue to support local food banks like the Capital Area Food Bank that are helping feed families still reeling from this disaster."
"Cleaning and rebuilding communities after natural disasters takes a very long time. When we heard reports of how devastating these floods were, we immediately orchestrated this truckload of protein to support the ongoing aid efforts in the affected areas," said Dennis Pittman, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Smithfield. "We commend all of the companies who have made contributions and, especially, the first responders and individuals who have tirelessly volunteered their time and resources to lend a hand to their local communities and neighbors in need."
To learn how you can contribute to the Capital Area Food Bank, please visit www.capitalareafoodbank.org.

Consumer purchases drive donations of HATCH eggs

In the first four weeks since HATCH was announced, 5,250 families in Central Indiana have received a dozen eggs. This means more than 63,000 eggs have helped people of all ages fight undernourishment through the power of egg protein. HATCH is a unique program that offers a new way consumers, food stores and farmers can work together to provide eggs to undernourished people. The pilot program continues through June 20, with HATCH providing one egg to a local food bank for each dozen Kroger-brand medium eggs purchased.
"Thanks to the incredible support from local residents, HATCH is having an immediate impact on fighting hunger and undernourishment in Indiana,” said Mitch Davis, director of Global Shared Value at Elanco Animal Health, the company that facilitates HATCH. “Being able to direct a donation of protein-rich eggs by simply purchasing eggs for their own family's use is a wonderful way people can easily make a vital difference in their communities.”
The HATCH pilot program, which involves 65 Central Indiana Kroger stores, is a community partnership involving The Kroger Co., Rose Acre Farms, Elanco, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Midwest Food Bank. HATCHforHunger.com features a list of participating stores and more information about HATCH.
So far, 63,000 eggs--the equivalent of 5,250 dozen--have been donated through Gleaners and Midwest Food Bank to local food pantries. In addition, more than 600 people have participated in the conversation about fighting hunger at the community level by including #HATCHforHunger in their tweets and social-media posts.
“For many families who visit a food pantry, eggs are very rare to find and one of the items we have the most requests for,” said Marcus Casteel, director of the Grace Care Center. “Since one egg can provide all the iron and almost half the protein a young child needs each day, eggs are an excellent way to improve nutrition. That’s why HATCH has been such a blessing to our friends.”
Elanco, Kroger and Rose Acre Farms launched HATCH as a model to give people a way to help fight hunger in their communities. In the U.S. alone, one in five people do not have access to enough protein and other nutrients to meet their body’s needs. Elanco plans to build on this HATCH pilot program to develop similar initiatives that can bring food security to other locations in the U.S. and additional countries.

Cooper Farms donates over 190,000 pounds of meat

Cooper Farms donated over 190,000 pounds of meat in 2014 to organizations in northwest and west central Ohio. The product donations are in addition to the many monetary donations provided through the Cooper Family Foundation. The generosity of the Cooper family and Cooper Farms follows a tradition of giving back to their communities for the past 76 years.
Most of the protein donations go to food banks serving the company’s main areas of operation. The largest total quantity recipients of the products include CALL Food Pantry in Celina, Dayton Food Bank, St. Mary’s Catholic Food Bank in Defiance, Trinity Friends Church in Van Wert and West Ohio Food Bank based in Lima.
Cooper Farms works with organizations of all shapes and sizes, with a goal of helping to provide quality protein to as many hungry individuals as possible.
The at-cost value of the 2014 donations totals over $513,000. As the Cooper Farms team and family reflect on the many people served by these great organizations, they are happy that they are able to provide such assistance to people in their local communities. 

Love A Child launches chicken cooperative farm in Haiti

Love A Child Inc. hosted a dedication ceremony for the new Poul Mirak Chicken (Miracle Chicken) Cooperative Farm at Gwo Mache Mirak in Fond Parisien, Haiti on September 17. At the ceremony, a newly expanded sustainability program backed by the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) International Poultry Development Program.
The program is expected to produce a unique source of sustainable income and nutrition for Haitian families in the region.
On hand for the dedication ceremony were representatives from the USAPEEC, Haitian dignitaries, customs officials, management from Haiti Broilers and administrative staff members from Love A Child, a non-profit Christian humanitarian organization serving the needs of children in Haiti.
One of eight interconnected sustainability initiatives developed by Love A Child, the Poul Mirak project is composed of nine chicken coop buildings. Each chicken house will hold about 500 chickens that will be raised by the newly trained cooperative members. The chickens will grow to maturity in only six weeks and the goal is to sell at least 500 each week at the Gwo Mache Mirak marketplace.
In a country where nearly 50 percent of the food is imported and 80 percent live below the poverty line, families often struggle to survive on around US$2 a day. The positive impact of Poul Mirak could be transformative. Having successfully operated a smaller chicken co-op program in 2013, where the farmers raised and sold 500 chickens within six weeks and profited around US$1.39 from the sale of each chicken, this newly expanded initiative supplies an increased opportunity for meaningful employment at living wages.
“Not only will Poul Mirak offer locals in the community of Fond Parisien an opportunity to buy fresh, protein-rich food, but it will also provide a new model for sustainability in Haiti that shows the world how chicken cooperatives can produce sustained economic results,” said Bobby Burnette, founder and director of Love A Child.
Funded through grants from the USAPEEC International Poultry Development Program, Mike Welch, and Larry Guest, as well as gifts from Love A Child partners, the chicken co-op will provide more than just a stable source of income for the chicken farmers. There are five cooperative members who together will bear all the responsibility for operating costs, labor and share in the profits. The five co-op members have received training and ongoing mentorship will also be provided from personnel of Harrison Poultry, Bethlehem, Georgia; and from the Love A Child missionary staff. Through ongoing mentorship, the program is expected to continue to grow as a resource for helping Haitians break the cycle of poverty for the long term.
Additional sustainability initiatives developed by Love A Child include an agricultural training center, edible plant nursery, life skills training, financial services, and reforestation projects. 

Cooper Farms donates 11,000 pounds of pork to Ohio food bank

Ohio pig farmers from Cooper Farms donated more than 11,000 pounds of pork on April 16 to the food bank in Dayton, Ohio.
The meat will provide more than 50,000 meals for hungry families in the Miami Valley of Ohio.
Pig farmers say they use opportunities like this to give back to the community. Pig farmers across the state have donated more than 1 million pork meals to food banks since 2009. 
"We like to support the local schools and everything, so when we can do 55,000 meals in one swoop like this, we really feel good as a family," said Gary Cooper, chief operating officer at Cooper Farms. 

House of Raeford team packs 30,000 meals to help fight hunger

Members of House of Raeford Farms' FLOCK team pack meals for Stop Hunger Now.

House of Raeford Farms' associates in Rose Hill and Wallace, N.C., packed meals for the group Stop Hunger Now, reaching a goal of 30,000 meals destined for school children in Haiti. This is the second consecutive year the poultry company's Faithful Love Offering for Christ's Kingdom (FLOCK) team has helped the international hunger relief agency.
The event was held on August 10 and attracted more than 60 volunteers from House of Raeford's two local chicken processing plants and live production operations. In addition to the volunteer work, House of Raeford and its employees contributed $7,500 to offset the cost of ingredients. The meals are made up of dehydrated, high-protein, highly nutritious grains and vegetables, and are primarily distributed to school children in more than 65 countries.
"Our FLOCK employee team in this local community had such a good experience with this event in 2012, that it was easy to decide to get involved again", said Dave Witter, manager of sustainability and communications for House of Raeford Farms. "Every time we see a hungry child it reminds us of why we need to get involved in outreach efforts like this one."
The partnership with Stop Hunger Now came to realization through House of Raeford Farms FLOCK, a nonprofit organization founded by the company. FLOCK responsibly stewards and distributes its resources to help meet needs with House of Raeford Farms' associates, community residents and other organizations with like-minded objectives.
In the recently completed fiscal year 2013, House of Raeford, one of the top 10 poultry processors in the United States, distributed more than 150,000 pounds of chicken and turkey in four southeastern states. Recipients included local food banks and other feeding programs, as well as fundraising events that benefitted persons with critical needs.

Poultry Federation members donate to Arkansas Foodbank

Member companies of The Poultry Federation donated 4,300 cartons of eggs and various chicken and turkey products totaling 48,000 pounds to the Arkansas Foodbank. The donation, according to the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, will help the organization in its mission to reduce hunger through a unified effort to provide hunger relief, education and advocacy. “These groups and many state agencies, businesses, faith groups, federal organizations and individuals have responded to the needs of many low-income families by finding ways to help them access healthy, affordable food," said Joyce Hardy, director of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. "This very generous donation from members of The Poultry Federation helps us move closer to our goal to end childhood hunger in Arkansas by 2015." Companies donating food included Butterball LLC, Cal-Maine Foods Inc., Cargill Inc., George’s Inc., Keith Smith Co., O.K. Industries Inc., Peco Foods Inc., Pilgrim’s Corp., Simmons Foods Inc., Tyson Foods Inc. and Wayne Farms LLC.

Tyson will donate 1 million pounds of food in September

Tyson Foods Inc. is commemorating 10 years of hunger relief efforts by donating 1 million pounds of food during September, which is national Hunger Action Month.
Tyson made its initial plans to tackle the subject of hunger relief in 1999, beginning its campaign the next year. "Since 2000, hunger relief has become a significant part of our company's culture," said Tyson President and CEO Donnie Smith. "We have donated food in 48 states — including the ones where we have plants — in the past 10 years. We will continue to fight domestic hunger as we go into our second decade of action." Tyson has partnerships with organizations like Share Our Strength, Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest) and Lift Up America. In the last five years, Tyson's employees have raised more than $350,000 for the cause.

Tyson Foods donates 8.6 million pounds of protein in 2009

Tyson Foods reports that it donated more than 8.6 million pounds of chicken, beef and pork to food banks in 28 U.S. states in its fiscal year ending October 2, 2009. The company also honored four outstanding individuals for their efforts to fight hunger in their local communities. The company donated approximately 35,000 pounds of protein to each Hunger All Star's food bank.
Since 2000, Tyson has donated approximately 71 million pounds of protein for hunger relief.

Novus International launches $100K challenge to aid Haitian earthquake victims

Animal health company Novus International has helped launch a $100,000 challenge campaign in to send food relief to Haitian children and their families. Donations will fund the production of Medika Mamba—a fortified, peanut-butter-based, ready-to-use-therapeutic food endorsed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF—and its delivery to Haitians by the charitable organization Meds & Food for Kids, which has operated in Haiti since 2003.
Conducted in partnership with the World Trade Center Saint Louis (Mo.), the campaign aims to meet its goal by February 12. Novus International made the first corporate donation of $10,000 to the campaign and has pledged to match employee donations.

Pork, soybean, corn groups donate to Midwest Food Bank

The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) recently presented the Midwest Food Bank with a check for $7,500 as part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign.
The donation was made to support Gridley Meats’ continued processing of hogs donated by local pork producers.
IPPA continued the Pork Power program during 2009 and partnered with ICMB, ISA and the Illinois Association of Meat Processors (IAMP) to build upon the success of the 2008 campaign in which the partners provided more than 100,000 pounds of donated pork to food banks in Illinois.
The Midwest Food Bank was started six years ago, and the food given out each month now reaches more than 100,000 people.