SPRINGDALE, Ark., Feb. 11, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 49 million Americans – 17 million of them children – are food insecure, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. That's one in every six Americans and one in every four children. Many organizations are actively working to help those in need. Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) continued its hunger relief efforts during 2009 by donating more than 8.6 million pounds of protein to food banks across the nation. In addition, the company undertook several initiatives designed to help raise awareness for the cause of hunger and its growing impact on Americans.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: All numbers cited are for Tyson Foods fiscal year, Sept. 28, 2008 – Oct. 2, 2009).
2009 donations by the numbers
- Tyson donated 8,619,029 million pounds of chicken, beef and pork.
- These donations are the equivalent of 34.4 million meals – enough for one meal for every resident in America's top 20 largest cities.
- The protein was donated to more than 40 food banks, who distribute the food to local non-profits and food pantries directly providing food to those in need.
- The donations were made in 28 states.
Tyson has been active in hunger relief work since 2000. Since that time, the company has provided more than 260 million meals to individuals and families across the country by donating approximately 71 million pounds of protein.
The top 10 state recipients for Tyson food donations during 2009 included:
- Arkansas (1,666,171.32 pounds)
- Kansas (1,088,737.26)
- Illinois (882,030.75)
- Texas (850,663.26)
- Missouri (822,967.07)
- California (467,725.53)
- North Carolina (427,974.43)
- Ohio (180,051.80)
- Indiana (174,288.58) and
- Pennsylvania (163,452.36).
"At Tyson Foods, we believe hunger is unacceptable," said Ed Nicholson, director of community relations for Tyson Foods. "These challenging times have only made things worse for many Americans. Our goal is to help those who are working on the front lines of hunger by giving them much-needed protein they can distribute in their communities. We're also focused on raising awareness for the cause of hunger in hopes that with additional awareness will come additional resources."
Spreading the word
Hunger can be an invisible reality often overlooked by others. Tyson's efforts during 2009 to continue placing attention on the cause included several initiatives.
- Web site: Tyson hosts a web site http://hungerrelief.tyson.com dedicated to the cause of hunger and encouraging greater online discussion about ways to fight hunger in America. During 2009 the company captured and shared stories of the work being done by food banks, national non-profits, and local agencies. The site also promoted connectivity and conversation between individuals and organizations active in hunger relief.
- Comment for food: Tyson's hunger relief web site also helped drive several social media campaigns that delivered truckloads of food to San Francisco, Austin and Boston food banks. For every public comment posted to Tyson's hunger blog Tyson pledged to deliver 100 pounds of protein -- up to 70,000 pounds (two truckloads) -- to these local food banks. The San Francisco thread generated more than 2,000 comments in the first week, while Boston area residents posted enough comments to fill the first truck in less than two hours.
- Hunger All Stars: Tyson honored four outstanding individuals for their unique efforts to fight hunger in their local communities. The company donated approximately 35,000 pounds of protein to each Hunger All Star's local food bank in their honor.
- Erma Smith, Little Rock
- Tony and Dolly Ellis, New Orleans
- Sarah Owen, Fort Myers, Florida
- Ernie Conduff, Fayetteville, Arkansas
National partnerships
As in years past, Tyson collaborated with several national organizations including: Feeding America, Share Our Strength, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Lift Up America.
Team member involvement
Not only does Tyson as a company invest in the fight against hunger, Tyson team members are actively involved as well. Many plants host fund-raising events every year for hunger relief through the company's "Powering the Spirit" program. During 2009, team members raised more than $110,000 that was donated to Share Our Strength for hunger outreach in those local communities as well as on the national level.
As part of the company's continued involvement in the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), Tyson team members in Cherokee, Waterloo, Perry and Storm Lake prepared more than 40,000 meals for riders and observers. The funds raised through these and other Tyson-sponsored events along the route were channeled to Share Our Strength and several local agencies that specifically target childhood hunger.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork, the second-largest food production 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 and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and services to customers throughout the United States and more than 90 countries. The company has approximately 117,000 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 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.
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