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Tyson Foods and LULAC Donate 30,000 Pounds of Chicken to Miami

October 29, 2014

Contact: Paloma Zuleta

Miami, FL. – Last week in Tamiami Park, LULAC and Tyson Foods, Inc., as part of the combined effort to donate over 151,000 pounds of chicken to people in need, donated provided approximately 30,000 pounds of chicken to Saint Vincent de Paul in Miami, Florida.

During the month of October, Tyson Foods and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) donated more than 151,000 pounds of chicken to food banks in California, Washington D.C., New York, Texas, and Florida. The first donation took place in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Area Food Bank on October 3. These food banks have a strong commitment and history of providing help in areas with high rates of childhood hunger.

“I was honored to participate in Saturday’s event as our community came together to help one another. Giving back to our community is one of my favorite aspects of representing the great people of Florida’s 26th district,” said Congressman Joe Garcia of Florida.

“Feeding South Florida is proud to partner with LULAC and work alongside them to ensure families receive the support they need to thrive. Tyson has been a wonderful contributor towards our mission of ending hunger in South Florida and this event is truly an opportunity to show how important collaboration is to the community,” said Paco Velez, president and CEO, Feeding South Florida Food Bank.

“Given the influx of unaccompanied minors that arrived over the summer, the Tyson Foods and LULAC donations to food pantries with a high concentration of refugee children is particularly timely,” said Brent Wilkes, executive director, LULAC. “This donation will go a long way to help address food disparities in the Latino community, particularly those families who now have the challenge of putting an extra plate on the table.”

The partnership with Tyson Foods furthers LULAC’s commitment to eradicate hunger in the Latino community. The donation will go a long way to help address food disparities for families facing economic challenges.

“There is a large need for protein in these areas and we are able to fill that void,” said Nora Venegas, director of government relations, Tyson Foods. “We are proud to stand with LULAC to make a difference in areas we know we can.”

Tyson Foods’ current “KNOW Hunger” campaign is focused on helping more people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. The company also partners with Share Our Strength, Lift Up America, and Feeding America to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation. Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated 96 million pounds of food toward hunger relief.

About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest producers of chicken, beef, pork and prepared foods that include leading brands such as Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells® and State Fair®. The company was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. Tyson Foods provides a wide variety of protein-based and prepared foods products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, supplying customers throughout the United States and approximately 130 countries. It has approximately 124,000 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 Foods 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.

About the League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC)
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the largest and oldest volunteer-based civil rights organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit LULAC.org, facebook.com/lulac.national.dc, twitter.com/LULAC.

About The Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Washington metro area serving over 530,000 people through direct food distribution programs and a network of 500 partner agencies. This year, the Capital Area Food Bank distributed 42 million pounds of food – the equivalent of 35 million meals – including 17.5 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.

About Food Bank For New York City
Food Bank For New York City has been the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end hunger throughout the five boroughs for more than 30 years. Nearly one in five New Yorkers relies on Food Bank for food and other resources. Food Bank takes a strategic, multifaceted approach that provides meals and builds capacity in the neediest communities, while raising awareness and engagement among all New Yorkers. Through its network of more than 1,000 charities and schools citywide, Food Bank helps provide free meals every day for New Yorkers in need. In addition, Food Bank For New York City’s income support services including food stamps (also known as SNAP) and free tax assistance for the working poor put more than $100 million each year into the pockets of New Yorkers, helping them to afford food and achieve greater dignity and independence. Food Bank’s nutrition education programs and services empower more than 230,000 children, teens and adults to build a healthy diet on a low budget. To learn more about how you can help, please visit foodbanknyc.org. Follow us on Facebook (FoodBank4NYC), Twitter (@FoodBank4NYC) and Instagram (FoodBank4NYC). To donate, visit foodbanknyc.org/donate. To become a partner, visit foodbanknyc.org/partner. To volunteer, visit volunteer.foodbanknyc.org. To advocate, visit foodbanknyc.org/advocate. To host a Virtual Food Drive, visit foodbanknyc.org/vfd. To receive Food Bank For New York City’s CEO E-Newsletter, visit foodbanknyc.org/email.

About the Houston Food Bank
The Houston Food Bank is a solution to hunger in times of need. America’s largest, the Food Bank distributes 59 million nutritious meals through its network of 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief charities in southeast Texas, feeding 800,000 individual each year. Fresh produce, meat and nonperishables are distributed from the warehouse at 535 Portwall, and meals for kids are prepared and distributed from Keegan Center, a 15,000 square-foot industrial kitchen. Additional community services include nutrition education, school-based programs, food stamp applications and hands-on job training. Red Barrels offer a convenient way for grocery shoppers to donate nonperishables for their neighbors in need. The Houston Food Bank, founded in 1982, is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. Visit us online. Website: HoustonFoodBank.org; Facebook: facebook.com/HoustonFoodBank; Twitter: @HoustonFoodBank; Youtube Channel: Youtube.com/houstonfoodbank

About the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
For 41 years, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has worked to mobilize resources in the community to alleviate hunger. With a vision that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County, the Food Bank distributed 60 million pounds of food in 2013 and 1 billion pounds of food since its inception. The Food Bank collects food from hundreds of resources, which – with the help of 33,000 volunteers annually – it distributes through a network of more than 670 partner agencies at more than 1,050 distribution and program sites. In addition, 97 percent of monies raised and in-kind donations go directly to programs. Our efficiency and effectiveness led to the LA Business Journal to name the Food Bank as the “Nonprofit Organization of the Year” among large local organizations in 2013. For more information or to get involved, visit lafoodbank.org

About Feeding South Florida
Feeding South Florida’s mission is to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education. Feeding South Florida is one of 202 member food banks in the Feeding America™ network, the sole Feeding America food bank in South Florida, and the largest food bank in the state, serving 30 percent of the state’s food insecure population. Through a local network of approximately 325 nonprofit partner agencies, Feeding South Florida distributes almost 37 million pounds of food annually, serving 871,920 individuals in need of food assistance, 287,650 of whom are children, and 150,000 are older adults, throughout Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For more information, visit feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954.518.1818.

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The partnership provided more than 600,000 meals in five major cities across the country.

More than 1,000 people stood in line to receive food – many of whom waited since 4 AM that morning. Low-income individuals and families received free chicken, fresh produce, canned goods, and medical program enrollment assistance.

In Miami, more than 1,000 unaccompanied minors live with families awaiting refugee status determination. For more information on LULAC's Border Children Relief Project, visit LULAC.org/relief.

“Feeding South Florida is proud to partner with LULAC and work alongside them to ensure families receive the support they need to thrive. Tyson has been a wonderful contributor towards our mission of ending hunger in South Florida and this event is truly an opportunity to show how important collaboration is to the community,” said Paco Velez, President and CEO, Feeding South Florida Food Bank.

“I was honored to participate in Saturday’s event as our community came together to help one another. Giving back to our community is one of my favorite aspects of representing the great people of Florida’s 26th district,” said Congressman Joe Garcia of Florida.

15.4% of the South Florida population is food insecure, with 871,920 people not knowing from where they will get their next meal.


Highlights from the Los Angeles food donation.


Highlights from the Houston food donation.