Just in time for Thanksgiving, Cargill is doing its part to help families in Northwest and West Central Arkansas by providing 15,000 pounds each to the Northwest Arkansas (NWA) Food Bank and the River Valley Regional Food Bank.
“Whether a family is going through a difficult time, or regularly seeks assistance from our local food banks, they deserve to have access to nutritional, wholesome protein,” said Shane Acosta, Cargill’s Springdale complex GM.
Cargill’s total donation of 30,000 pounds of bone-in turkey breasts will provide approximately 100,000 servings of turkey to families in need.
In 2014, the NWA Food Bank served more than 750,000 people in its service area.
The River Valley Regional Food Bank provides support for just over 55,000 Arkansans living in the river valley identified as food insecure, roughly 18% of the population in the region.
Combined, the food banks provide support for 12 counties and distribute product to agencies in their respective areas including food pantries, senior centers, shelters, after school programs, day care programs and other non-profit organizations.
“As families gather together to celebrate this bountiful year, it is hard to believe that one in four families in Northwest Arkansas will not have a Thanksgiving meal,” said Carrie Harlow, director of development at NWA Food Bank.
“It is with the generous support from Cargill that the NWA Food Bank will be able to provide turkey and other fixings to those in need this holiday season.”
According to Feeding America, one of Cargill’s nutrition and health partners, statistics show that one in five people in the state of Arkansas struggles with hunger, compared to a national average of one in seven people.
Cargill Turkey and Cooked Meats is based in Wichita, Kansas and operates processing facilities in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and Virginia.
The Springdale complex was established in 1965 and employs more than 1,100 people.
In the past year, the facility has donated more than US$125,000 to local organizations.
