Collaborative community partnership delivers hope to neighbors struggling with food insecurity
SALISBURY, MD. — As part of Perdue Farms’ commitment to help alleviate food insecurity, the company teamed with the Delmarva Shorebirds Class A minor league baseball team and three Delmarva Peninsula food banks to generate a record 688,536 meal equivalents during the recently completed season-long Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva campaign.
The Strike Out Hunger campaign is an important part of the company’s Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities, especially during Hunger Action Month in September.
“As economic challenges continue to bring so much uncertainty to individuals and families struggling with food insecurity on Delmarva, we’re thrilled by the results of this year’s Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva campaign,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, which helps fund the challenge. “The campaign provides a collaborative platform to raise public awareness about the problem of hunger and food insecurity and deliver much-needed relief in the Delmarva communities where we live and work.”
On average one in seven people on the Delmarva Peninsula are challenged by food insecurity. One third of that food-insecure population is children.
Since 2011, Perdue, the Shorebirds, food banks and the community at-large have embraced the Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva to generate more than 2.3 million meals for those in need on Delmarva.
“The Shorebirds are elated by the collaborative strength of the Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge, especially with the record results this past season,” said Jimmy Sweet, assistant general manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds. “This challenge continues to provide families on Delmarva hope for putting a meal on their table and help ease a difficult burden.”
To drive this year’s Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva, Perdue Farms issued a $15,000 challenge grant funded by the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Foundation — the charitable giving arm of the company — to benefit the Maryland Food Bank, the Food Bank of Delaware and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
Each of the food banks are required to engage the Delmarva community to raise the equivalent of 10,000 meals to claim their equal share of the first $10,000 of the Foundation challenge grant. This included any combination of pounds of food collected, monies collected and donated, or volunteer hours throughout the duration of the Shorebirds’ season. Perdue also donated $10 for each time the Shorebirds’ pitchers struck out an opposing batter, up to $5,000.
“For 13 seasons, the Strike Out Hunger campaign has helped raise both critical funds and awareness of food insecurity,” said Cathy Kanefsky, Food Bank of Delaware president and CEO. “High costs due to inflation continue to impact so many working families on Delmarva. We are grateful for Perdue and the Delmarva Shorebirds for this ongoing partnership.”
“We are so grateful for the support of Perdue, the Shorebirds and the Delmarva community,” said Chris Tan, president and CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. “We look forward to this partnership each year so we can collectively better serve some of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture®
About Perdue Farms
We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services. Perdue Foods consists of a premium protein portfolio, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Coleman Natural®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Spot Farms® and Full Moon®, and is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor, and exporter of agricultural products and the largest U.S. manufacturer of specialty, organic, and non-GMO oils. It also ranks as one of the largest suppliers of organic feed ingredients in the world. Now in our company’s second century, we never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever and in USDA-certified organic proteins. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.
