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Press Release: Tyson Foods, LULAC Association Offers Help to the Hungry Through A Donation to America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin. Alliance contributes more than 30,000 pounds of much needed protein . September 23, 2008 For more information contact: MILWAUKEE, Sept. 23, 2008 – More than 500,000 Wisconsin residents are at risk of hunger, and last year approximately 235,000 individuals received food assistance through America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin and its network of partner agencies. As the numbers show, hunger is still prevalent and a persistent problem in the region, which is why food bank officials are applauding good news from an association among Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Feeding America (formerly known as America’s Second Harvest). The association announced today the donation of more than 30,000 pounds of much needed food as part of its 1 million pound, three-year commitment to fight hunger together. Milwaukee city officials, LULAC leadership, America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin representatives and Tyson team members attended the ceremony. "Poultry donations are crucial to the foodbank. High protein foods are often lacking in the diets of families struggling to make ends meet due to the high cost of this food. Chicken will fill the plates of needy families with a quality, healthy option they might not otherwise have," said Bonnie Bellehumeur, president of Second Harvest of Wisconsin. America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin, through warehouses in Milwaukee and the Fox Valley, distributes more than 12 million pounds of food a year to more than 1,100 pantries, meal programs and other nonprofit agencies that serve the eastern half of Wisconsin. According to Bellehumeur, nearly 19,000 of the people Second Harvest serves are Hispanic. “Having enough food to feed families is a challenge for many in the Hispanic community and LULAC is dedicated to helping families access nourishing foods,” said LULAC-Wisconsin State Director Darryl D. Morin. “We believe that our relationship with Tyson Foods and today’s donation to the America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin are an important step toward our goal of ensuring no one goes hungry.” LULAC is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. The group advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide. “Tyson Foods understands that often, Hispanic families face additional barriers when they are at risk for hunger and seeking assistance. We are committed to providing nutritious meals to families who are looking for help,” Ed Nicholson, director of community relations for Tyson Foods. “This contribution builds upon our three-year commitment to address the issue of hunger in the Hispanic community.” Since 2000, Tyson Foods has been a leader in the fight against hunger. The company is actively engaged in food donation events and fund-raising activities year-round to benefit those in need. The protein given by Tyson today brings the company’s total in-kind donations since 2000 to more than 50 million pounds. This milestone equates to over 202 million meals donated to food banks and agencies serving local communities around the country. Last year alone, Tyson donated nearly 9 million pounds of protein to Feeding America. For more information on how to get involved in the fight against hunger, go to hungerrelief.tyson.com. America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin - 235,000 people in Wisconsin rely on food supplied by America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin each year. The food bank is the largest, private, non-profit distributor of food in the state. Second Harvest Food Bank distributes nearly 12 million pounds of food annually to 1,100 food pantries, meal programs and shelters throughout Wisconsin. Second Harvest Food Bank is affiliated with America’s Second Harvest which is consistently ranked as one of the most efficient charities, out of the country’s 100 largest charities, by Forbes magazine. Since 1982, America’s Second Harvest of Wisconsin has distributed more than 200 million pounds of food. To learn more about hunger in Wisconsin, go to www.secondharvestwi.org. Feeding America is the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization and is dedicated to feeding America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks. The Feeding America network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The Feeding America network supports approximately 63,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 70,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, Kids Cafes, Community Kitchens and BackPack Programs. Each year, the Feeding America network provides food assistance to more than 25 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has approximately 115,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. It is the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups. For more information, go to www.lulac.org. Tyson Foods, Inc. [NYSE: TSN], 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 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 service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 104,000 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. Visit www.tyson.com for more details. |