Salisbury, Md. — Building on a company commitment to fighting hunger in our communities, Perdue Farms joins the Delmarva Shorebirds in announcing the 2013 Perdue Strike Out Hunger on Delmarva campaign on behalf of the three Delmarva food banks.
To help drive the season-long “Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva” campaign, Perdue has issued a $15,000 challenge grant funded through the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to benefit the Eastern Shore Branch of the Maryland Food Bank, the Food Bank of Delaware and the Eastern Shore Branch of the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia.
“The 2013 Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva provides the forum to continue the awareness and community involvement that successfully generated more than 100,000 meal equivalents last year for Delmarva’s food banks,” said Bill Hetherington, executive director of the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. “We’re proud to partner with the food banks and the Shorebirds for the third straight season; now we’re hoping the community will embrace the challenge again and help us in the fight against hunger. Together, we can ‘Strike Out Hunger on Delmarva.’ ”
How the challenge works
The first $10,000 of the challenge grant will be divided equally among the three Delmarva food banks as a challenge to involve the Delmarva community in fighting hunger on Delmarva. Each of the food banks must raise the equivalent of 10,000 meals in order to claim their share of the $10,000. This can be in any combination of pounds of food collected, funds collected and donated or volunteer efforts from the opening of the 2013 season on Thursday, April 4 through the final home game of the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Perdue has also committed to donating $10 for each time the Shorebirds’ pitchers strike out an opposing batter (up to $5,000). The $5,000 will be split equally between the three Delmarva food banks.
Shorebirds Plan Strike Out Hunger Promotions
The Shorebirds will run promotions throughout the regular season to benefit the “Perdue Strikeout Hunger Challenge on Delmarva.”
The Shorebirds have designated the season’s 11 Sunday home games as “Strike Out Hunger Challenge Sundays.” If fans bring two non-perishable food items they can receive a general admission ticket to that day’s game for $2. Food collected from the 10 Sunday home games will be distributed equally among the three food banks.
In addition, Arthur W. Perdue Stadium will house food donation barrels at all regular season home games, making it easy for fans to help by bringing food to the game or just stopping by the stadium.
A profound partnership in fight against hunger
“The community support that was created through our partnership with Perdue and the Shorebirds last year greatly enhanced our ability to help the more than 25,000 people we are feeding per month through the Salisbury branch of the Maryland Food Bank and its 130 network partners throughout eight Eastern Shore counties,” said Jennifer Small, Eastern Shore branch manager, Maryland Food Bank. “Whether you live in Maryland, Delaware or Virginia, please join us and help strike out hunger on Delmarva.”
“With one in four Delawareans struggling to make ends meet, the support of Perdue’s Strike Out Hunger campaign is crucial,” said Food Bank of Delaware Milford Branch Director Chad Robinson. “Not only do we bring in much needed food, monetary donations and volunteer hours through the campaign, but we also are provided the opportunity to build awareness of the critical issue of hunger on Delmarva. We look forward to participating in Strike Out Hunger again this year and hope to continue to build momentum.”
Charmin Horton, branch manager of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, said this collaborative effort is critical to helping provide healthy, nutritious food to those in the Eastern Shore of Virginia community who struggle with hunger issues. “This partnership is huge especially for our region. Our resources are limited and have this forum in partnership with Perdue, the Shorebirds and the other food banks brings a level of visibility to the needs in our community that we could not otherwise achieve. For that, we truly thank Perdue, the Shorebirds and the support of their fans.”
The food banks will be working with businesses, groups and individuals throughout the Shore that would like to be involved in the Strike Out Hunger Challenge.
If you or your organization would like to get involved in the 2013 Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge on Delmarva campaign, contact the Shorebirds or one of the three participating food banks.
About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue Agribusiness, and represents the Perdue family ownership. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, through expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the Perdue brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, to our third-generation of family leadership with chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained a family-owned, family-operated business dedicated to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. To learn more about Perdue, visit www.perdue.com.
About the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The 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.
Source: Perdue Farms