Vicksburg, Miss. – Jackson State University, the National Urban League and Tyson Foods, Inc., donated a truckload of food to the Mississippi Food Network this week as part of an effort to feed people in need and promote public awareness of hunger in Mississippi.
The donation, which includes 32,000 pounds of protein, will be distributed by the Mississippi Food Network to many of its 415 affiliates statewide. The event is a continuation of a year-long pilot program announced in June that targets Mississippi because of its high rate of food insecurity. The grass-roots, community-based program, dubbed The Urban League-Tyson Foods Hunger Project Mississippi, aims to alleviate hunger for more than 19,000 people in several Mississippi counties.
The donation served as the official kickoff for two “KNOW Hunger” Nutrition Fairs that are also part of the Urban League-Tyson Foods campaign. The fairs were held in Vicksburg on Sept. 19 and Jackson on September 20 and were free to the public.
“The well-being of Mississippians is extremely important to Jackson State University, and we want to raise hunger awareness in any way we can,” said David Hoard, vice president of institutional advancement for Jackson State University. “Participating in the ‘KNOW Hunger’ Nutrition Fairs is one of the many ways we are pouring into the community where we live and work.”
The fairs featured free health screenings, health and wellness training and meal planning and preparation. The Salvation Army, We Care Community Services, American Red Cross, the Jackson State University-Fitness Center and River City Rescue Mission were among the participating organizations.
“The ‘KNOW Hunger’ Nutrition Fairs offered information to help residents with their health and lifestyle choices,” said Jeff Wood, community relations manager for Tyson Foods. “We’re thrilled so many community-based organizations are took part in these fairs, which provide information that can make a difference in the lives of the people who attend.”
Tyson Foods has donated more than 124,000 pounds of protein this year to hunger relief in Mississippi, which, at 22 percent, has the highest food insecurity rate in the nation, according to Feeding America, the country’s leading hunger organization. That amounts to more than 650,000 people, or nearly 1 of every 4 residents. Twenty-two percent of Mississippi’s food insecure children are likely income-ineligible for federal nutrition assistance.
“We are so grateful to our donors for this nutritious food that will enable us to provide a high-quality protein to people who struggle to put food on the table,” said Walker Satterwhite, executive director of the Mississippi Food Network.
Last year Tyson launched the “KNOW Hunger” campaign to raise hunger awareness. As part of the campaign, the company released the results of a survey which found that one in four Americans is worried about having enough money to put food on the table and that many Americans are unaware of how serious hunger is in their own communities. Raising awareness that hunger exists in every community in the country reinforces the campaign’s imperative that “We should all KNOW Hunger.”
This June, The National Urban League and Tyson Foods co-launched their namesake project in Mississippi in an effort to provide lasting hunger relief in the nation’s most food insecure state. For more information on the Urban League-Tyson Foods Hunger Project Mississippi, visit http://www.tysonhungerrelief.com/mshungerproject/.
Tyson Foods has fought hunger in the U.S. for a decade, donating more than 88 million pounds of protein. The company partners with Food Research and Action Center, Feeding America, Share Our Strength, Lift Up America and the League of United Latin American Citizens to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation.
Meat and poultry are excellent sources of heme iron, which is especially important for women, children and adolescent girls, who are often deficient in iron. For more information on the nutritional value of meat and poultry, go to: http://www.meatpoultrynutrition.org/ht/d/sp/i/26062/pid/26062
About Jackson State University
Established in 1877, Jackson State University (JSU) continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive educational, healthcare, technological and economic development initiatives. Jackson State is the fourth largest institution of higher learning in Mississippi with nearly 9,000 students. As the Urban University of Mississippi, Jackson State emphasizes public service programs designed to enhance quality of life and seek solutions to urban problems in the physical, social, intellectual, and economic environments. In 2010, Jackson State received the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. It is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. Only 11 institutions of higher education in the country received this honor. Jackson State is the only Mississippi institution and the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) awarded that year.
About The National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are nearly 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.
About The Mississippi Food Network
Mississippi Food Network accumulates, stores and distributes food and household items to charities and local agencies who serve needy people. The Network, headquartered in Jackson, serves over 415 member agencies that are either churches or 501c3 nonprofit agencies. Approximately 175,000 people are served each month with food distributed by Mississippi Food Network. In 2011, MFN delivered more than 19.5 million pounds of food items to Emergency Food Pantries, Day Care Centers, Emergency Shelters, Group Homes, Soup Kitchens, Teen Centers, Alcohol and Drug Rehabs, Afterschool Programs, Homeless Shelters and Senior Citizen Programs.
About Tyson Foods, Inc.
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 130 countries. The company has approximately 115,000 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.
Source: Tyson Foods, Inc.