SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Tyson Foods is providing Southeast Missouri Food Bank $40,000 to support hunger relief in the Dexter area, the company announced Thursday. Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Food Bank is the Feeding America network food bank for southeast Missouri, serving more than 140 hunger-relief organizations across 16 Missouri counties.
“We’re very grateful for Tyson’s continued support and help in providing food to Dexter and the surrounding community,” said Joey Keys, president and CEO, Food Bank for Southeast Missouri Food Bank. “This donation will help us work toward our goal of increasing food accessibility for southeast Missourians and making sure no one has to worry about where their next meal will come from.”
The grant is a part of a national $1.5 million program by Tyson Foods that has provided 26 grants to hunger relief organizations that support 38 Tyson plant communities in 15 states.
The investments represent approximately four million pounds of food or the equivalent of 16 million servings of protein that will be distributed to address food insecurity.
“Feeding America projects that 42 million people (1 in 8), including 13 million children (1 in 6), may experience food insecurity in 2021,” said Garrett Dolan, senior manager, corporate social responsibility, Tyson Foods. “At Tyson, we’re honored to do our part to reduce food insecurity in the communities around the country that our team members live and work.”
The grants were awarded in response to requests for proposals by food banks and hunger relief organizations seeking to improve the efficiency of their operations or provide support for urgent feeding programs.
Other local organizations Tyson Foods supported with these grants include:
• Second Harvest Community Food Bank
• Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri
• Southeast Missouri Food Bank