Perdue Farms $100,000 grant helps fund new freezer capacity at Foodbank

As part of its “Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors” hunger-relief initiative, Perdue Farms has awarded a $100,000 grant to enable the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to expand its freezer capacity at its Tasley, Va., branch and feed more Virginians experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic and beyond.

The new 6,400-cubic-foot chilled space is funded by a grant from the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms. The increased capacity will enable the Foodbank to receive and distribute significantly more chilled and frozen food products, including much sought-after protein and produce. The Foodbank estimates that it will be able to provide more than 111,000 additional meals through its network of partner agencies on the rural Eastern Shore of Virginia. The Branch is currently providing more than 1.2 million meals to those facing food insecurity on the Eastern Shore.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of nutritious meals for vulnerable individuals and families, particularly in rural areas where healthy food access may be limited,” said Dr. Ruth Jones Nichols, president and CEO of the Foodbank. “We are grateful for this grant from Perdue that will extend the potential for distributing fresh produce and frozen protein to neighbors on the Eastern Shore, delivering hope during a time when it’s most needed.”

The Perdue Foundation gift aligns with the company’s “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors” hunger-relief initiative focused on providing access to nutritious protein for people struggling with hunger and making meaningful progress toward ending hunger. In January, the Perdue Foundation announced a $1 million donation to support 10 of its Feeding America^®-affiliated food bank partners in celebration of the company’s 100^th anniversary.

“Hunger relief is an important part of our sustainability commitments at Perdue Farms and our decades-long partnership with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is vital part of that,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. “We recognize the power of food and are pleased that our financial support will enable the Foodbank to provide more nutritious meals to our neighbors in rural Virginia, especially during these challenging times.”

Over the course of the 20-plus-year partnership with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, Perdue has delivered more than 5 million pounds of nutritious protein, Perdue associate volunteer support, and additional funds to enable the Foodbank and its agency network to feed its hungry neighbors.

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