Tyson Foods and Local Growers Power the Fight Against Hunger in Oklahoma ; Tulsa and Oklahoma City Food Banks Received More Than 73,000 Pounds of Protein
OKLAHOMA, Aug. 30, 2006 – Two Oklahoma food banks received protein donations today from Tyson Foods, Inc. as part of the company’s continued commitment to fight hunger in America. The two truckloads of donations were delivered to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City and to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma in Tulsa. The Oklahoma City organization received 35,436 pounds of product, and the Tulsa organization received 38,060 pounds.
The donation represents support of another kind in that most of the chicken donated today was processed in a Tyson facility in Springdale, Ark., which processes chicken grown by Oklahoma growers. “We’re honored to have the food that we’ve grown right here in our state going to Oklahomans who are in need,” said Steve Bryan, a Tyson grower from Bluejacket, Oklahoma.. “This donation also shows Tyson Food’s commitment to hunger relief and their commitment to our state.”
America’s Second Harvest “Hunger in America 2006” study found an estimated 52 percent of local families had to make the choice between food and utilities year-round, and more than 15 percent of all Oklahoma households experience food insecurity. The state has the fourth highest food insecurity rate in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rodney W. Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank, said, "More than 500,000 Oklahomans are at-risk of going hungry every day, including one in five children. This donation from Tyson will help put this important source of nutrition on the plates of thousands of Oklahomans that may have otherwise had to go without."
The donation of meat products is particularly significant for both organizations. “Most food bank donations come in the form of dry goods, and typically, not very much protein is donated,” said Sara Waggoner, executive director of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “We are so happy to be receiving this donation and we appreciate Tyson Foods’ support of our efforts to feed hungry people in our area.”
“At Tyson, we’re committed to the fight against hunger, especially in the communities in which we have operations,” stated Archie Schaffer, Tyson senior vice president, who attended the Tulsa donation event. “We’re honored to make this donation on behalf of our team members and growers who live and work in Oklahoma.”
Protein is one of the most efficient and long lasting sources of energy. The chicken donated today is one of the most concentrated sources of protein—an essential nutrient of life. The average person—man, woman or child—needs to eat about 0.4 grams of protein for every pound of bodyweight, every day. This is approximately equivalent to five ounces of chicken, beef or pork.
In June, Tyson facilities nationwide kicked off a new program to raise funds and awareness for the fight against childhood hunger. The program is called Powering the Spirit™ and involves three key components: local fund-raising through cooking and grilling events, sales of a specially produced Tyson cookbook featuring recipes from the kitchens of Tyson team members nationwide and donation of 75 percent of the proceeds of those fundraising efforts to the community where the money is raised.
This year, Tyson also sponsored an America’s Second Harvest publication, The Almanac of Hunger and Poverty in America 2006, which is the first-ever comprehensive collection of facts on hunger, poverty, federal nutrition programs, and the food banks and food rescue organizations in the America’s Second Harvest Network.
About Hunger Relief Nationwide
Tyson has made significant impact in their fight against hunger nationwide through a partnership with Share Our Strength®, and America’s Second Harvest-The Nation’s Food Bank Network. Share Our Strength is a nonprofit that inspires and organizes individuals and businesses to share their strengths in innovative ways to help end childhood hunger in America. America’s Second Harvest is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with more than 200 food banks in its network.
Since Tyson’s partnership with hunger relief organizations began in 2000, the company has provided more than 39 million pounds of chicken, beef and pork – supplying more than 156 million meals with essential protein – to benefit more than 400 hunger relief organizations across the U.S. Tyson has made a significant impact leading the fight against hunger through its ongoing partnerships with America’s Second Harvest, Share Our Strength, Lift Up America and others.
According to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey released in August 2005 which studied conditions in 2004, the poverty rate in America rose by 4 percent to 35.9 million people, one-third of which are children.
For more information on how to get involved in the fight against hunger in the Oklahoma City area, contact the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma at (405) 972-1111 or go to www.regionalfoodbank.org. In the Tulsa area, contact the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma at (918) 585-2800 or go to www.cfbeo.org. For additional information, go to www.tyson.com, http://www.secondharvest.org/ or www.strength.org.
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is a private, non-profit organization that acts as a link through which and food industry and community may donate food and other goods. The products are then distributed to more than 500 charitable feeding programs in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. In the last fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed 24 million pounds of food and product to help the charitable community effectively feed people in need. Since its inception in 1980, the Food Bank has distributed 244 million pounds of food to feed Oklahoma’s hungry. For more information go to www.regionalfoodbank.org.
The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is a private, nonprofit organization that works to eliminate food insecurity and hunger through education, advocacy and the distribution of food and other essentials. The Food Bank channels more than 539,000 meals each month to its 440 Partner Programs, located throughout 24 counties in Eastern Oklahoma. During the 2005—2006 fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed nearly 8.5 million pounds of food to its partner feeding programs. For more information, go to www.cfbeo.org.
America's Second Harvest® — The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food - rescue programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 23 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. For more on America's Second Harvest, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
Share Our Strength®, one of the nation's leading anti-hunger organizations, is fueled by a simple but powerful philosophy: It takes more than food to fight hunger. The organization mobilizes thousands of individuals to organize events, host dinners, teach cooking and nutrition classes to low-income families and serve as anti-hunger advocates. Share Our Strength believes it takes each of us, sharing our strength, to make a difference. Since its founding in 1984, Share Our Strength has raised more than $163 million to support more than 1,000 anti-hunger, anti-poverty organizations worldwide. For more information, please visit www.strength.org.
Tyson Foods, Inc., www.tyson.com, [NYSE: TSN], founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products, which are marketed under the “Powered by Tyson™” strategy. Tyson is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 110,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 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 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.
Contacts:
Gary Mickelson, Tyson Foods
(479) 290-6111
Cydnee Cochran, Mitchell Communications Group
(479) 254-8618
cydnee@mitchcommgroup.com