Meat+Poultry - January 2024 - 90

GIVING BACK
IPPA
The Iowa Pork Producers Association
(IPPA) donated $10,000 worth of pork
- the equivalent of 14,400 meals - in
central Iowa to help fight food insecurity
and the damages it causes to families. The
donation was divided between the Food
Bank of Iowa and the Des Moines Area
Religious Council (DMARC), with each
of the food banks receiving 1,800 lbs of
ground pork.
" The holiday season is upon us and
addressing food insecurity is vital this time
of year, " said IPPA President-Elect Matt
Gent, a pig farmer from Wellman. " Pork
producers care about their communities,
and this is one of the many ways we give
back. Pork is a rich source of protein and
it's very versatile. We hope these donations
help a lot of folks who may not have
regular access to hearty, nutritious meals. "
The donation came at a crucial time.
" Right now, food insecurity is nothing
short of an emergency in our community, "
explained Matt Unger, chief executive
officer at DMARC. " The Food Pantry
Network assisted 26,469 individuals
in November - the most people ever
assisted in one month.
" I have raised hogs, so I understand
the tremendous value of this generous
donation, " said Michelle Book, chief
executive officer of the Food Bank of
Iowa. " Ground pork is tasty, versatile,
and packed with protein - protein which
is much needed right now by families
struggling to make ends meet and folks
living on fixed incomes. As the need for
food assistance increases, we are grateful
for our partnership with the Iowa Pork
Producers Association. "
Perdue
Perdue truckers and
associates joined
Triumph Foods
In its ongoing work to support St. Joseph and
northwest Missouri, pork processor Triumph
Foods donated nearly 40,000 lbs of pork
products, including seasoned loin fillets and
pork roast, to Second Harvest Community
Food Bank. The donation is estimated to
provide more than 80,000 servings across the
19 counties served by the food bank.
The majority of Triumph's pork
donations this year will be used to support
Second Harvest's Fresh Mobile Pantry
program, which fights food insecurity in
northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas.
In addition to Triumph's product
donation, the company's employees
volunteer their time year-round at
Second Harvest. This year, their 30 hours
volunteering at the food bank helped
provide lunches for Second Harvest's No
Hunger Summer feeding program.
" This kind of partnership amplifies
the impact Triumph can have as Second
Harvest is able to distribute our pork
donations to those in need throughout St.
Joseph and our surrounding communities, "
said Matt England, president and chief
executive officer at Triumph.
" We are very appreciative of the
support we receive from Triumph Foods,
as the most frequently requested food item
from families we serve is animal protein, "
said Chad Higdon, CEO of Second Harvest.
" We are seeing an increase in demand of
around 10% to 15% at distributions, as well
as an increase in the number of working
families seeking food assistance. This
donation will help us as we work to keep
up with increasing demands. "
90 MEAT+POULTRY | 01.24 | www.meatpoultry.com
community volunteers in
Salisbury, Md., to renew
a 38-year Operation
Teddy Bear tradition to
deliver a little holiday
cheer to residents of
the Holly Center.
The Holly Center
is a residential facility
in Maryland for people
with mental and physical
disabilities. Operation
Teddy Bear invites Holly
Center residents to ride
in a big rig with one of
Perdue's professional
truck drivers. The
caravan of trucks,
adorned with holiday
decorations, travels an
11-mile loop in Wicomico
County, beginning and
ending at the Holly
Center facility.
" For nearly four
decades we have been
blessed for what Perdue
and its drivers so
generously do for our
residents, " said Tuesday
Trott, executive director
of the Holly Center.
" Our residents so look
forward each year to
Operation Teddy Bear
and the thrill of taking a
ride in a big rig. "
Triumph Foods; Perdue Farms
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Meat+Poultry - January 2024

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