Local Team Members Raise $24,000, Deliver 35,000 Pounds of Protein to
Relief Agencies
JOSLIN, Ill., June 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Families in the Quad
Cities will soon have access to high-quality protein to fuel their day,
thanks to a 35,000-pound protein donation from Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:
TSN) team members at the Tyson Joslin meat plant. As part of an internal
fundraising competition to end childhood hunger, local team members raised
$24,000 and won a protein donation prize from Tyson to give to their
community. Tyson is scheduled to deliver its donation to the Second Baptist
Church in Rock Island at 10 a.m.
The donation marks the fourth year in a row local Tyson team members
have won the company-wide fund-raising competition to benefit local
childhood hunger relief. The protein donation prize of value-added chicken
products will be given to Churches United of the Quad Cities as well as the
following other regional feeding programs: The Victory Center Mission in
Clinton, Iowa, The Salvation Army of Iowa and Illinois, Calvary Church of
the Quad Cities in Moline, Ill., Family Resources and John Lewis Supportive
Services, both in Davenport, Iowa and the Head Start Project N.O.W. of Rock
Island County, Ill.
"No other group at Tyson has shown more dedication to our primary
philanthropic focus of hunger relief than the team in Joslin," said Tyson
vice president of media and community relations Libby Lawson. "They have
outdone every other Tyson team from across the country in each of the four
years in which we've participated in the Share Our Strength Great American
Bake Sale. They're a shining example of Tyson's Core Values, and we're all
very proud of them."
Churches United of the Quad Cities' 23 food pantries will receive about
20,000 of the 35,000-pound donation. In 2005, Churches United pantries
responded to more than 81,000 visits to its 23 pantries. More than 50,000
people and 17,000 families receive an average of $400,000 in hunger relief
annually through Churches United pantries and meal sites in Rock Island
County, Ill., and Scott County, Iowa. Anne Wachal, program coordinator of
the Churches United of the Quad City Area, said protein is a crucial and
high- demand item in its pantries.
"Churches United is always grateful when Tyson Foods is able to assist
us or any organization when it comes to protein," Wachal said. "For our
hunger ministry locations, having protein in the pantry from Tyson is like
opening a birthday present."
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 body weight, every day. This is approximately equivalent to five ounces
of chicken, beef or pork.
About Hunger Relief Nationwide
Tyson has made significant impact in their fight against hunger
nationwide through a partnership with Share Our Strength(R), 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.
Tyson Foods' efforts over the past five years have provided more than
29 million pounds of chicken, beef and pork or more than 115 million meals
to benefit more than 400 hunger-relief organizations across the U.S.
According to the Census Bureau's 2004 annual poverty report, the poverty
rate in America rose by 4 percent last year to 35.9 million people,
one-third of which are children. Generally it is estimated that about 15
percent of a family income goes toward food, but many times parents are
forced to make the choice of either paying the rent or providing the next
meal for their family.
For more information on how to get involved in the fight against
hunger, contact Churches United of the Quad City Area 630 9th St., Rock
Island, Ill., or visit http://www.churchesunited.net , http:www.tyson.com ,
http://www.secondharvest.org/ or http://www.strength.org .
Giving Thanks at Mealtime
In addition to the hundreds of food donations made each year, John
Tyson and Tyson Foods have compiled a booklet titled Giving Thanks at
Mealtime to help everyone discover (or rediscover!) the joy and power of
saying a word of thanks before mealtime or any time for that matter. The
book is a non- denominational, faith-friendly collection of several ways to
say thanks taken from a variety of traditions from around the world. Giving
Thanks at Mealtime will be made available at the donation ceremonies and to
your readers online at http://www.tyson.com free of charge. We hope that
you will encourage them to order a booklet. If you have any questions or
are interested in speaking with someone at Tyson Foods, please let me know
and I'll be happy to connect you to the right person. Michael Clark,
general information, 479-443-4673, 479-979-1571 (cell) or
michael@mitchcommgroup.com
Churches United of the Quad City Area is a regional hunger relief
organization that supports individuals and families in Scott County, Iowa
and Rock Island County, Ill., through its 23 food pantries and three meal
sites. The organization feeds more than 50,000 people and 17,000 families
annually. For more information call 309 786 6494 or visit
http://www.churchesunited.net
Share Our Strength(R), 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
http://www.strength.org
America's Second Harvest(R) -- 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 http://www.secondharvest.org
Tyson Foods, Inc., http://www.tyson.com , 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(TM)" 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 114,000 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.
SOURCE Tyson Foods, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.tyson.com
http://www.churchesunited.net
http://www.secondharvest.org http://www.strength.org
CONTACT:
Susan O'Brien Brockway, community relations,
+1-479-871-0093, or Gary Mickelson, +1-479-290-6111, both of
Tyson Foods, Inc.
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