The Food Bank of Siouxland received over 80,000 pounds of frozen chicken breasts from Perdue Farms in conjunction with Feeding America for food pantries in Iowa on February 29 to help fill the Leap Day food gap. Hope Food Pantry and other partner agencies will meet at the Food Bank of Siouxland on 2/29 to pick up donations for distribution in their local communities.
Within the 11 counties in the Siouxland area, more than 25,000 residents are food insecure, including 42% of all children. Leap Day means one extra day this year that families will need to get food on the table.
"This will be the biggest single donation that we've received at one time of a greatly needed product. Chicken and protein in general is the number one item that gets asked for and in our top 3 of distribution categories," says Food Bank of Siouxland Executive Director Jacob Wanderscheid. "It's a record setting day for Perdue and the Food Bank of Siouxland."
In attendance for the donation presentation was Gary Malenke, Senior Vice President of Perdue Farms in Sioux Center and Marianne Sjaarda, Pantry Lead at Hope Food Pantry.
Given that protein is one of the most in-demand items, the Food Bank of Siouxland is working with Perdue Farms, who is making its largest-ever, one-time donation of 3.3 million pounds of chicken, providing 2.75 million meals, nationwide.
The donation will reach the over 100 counties served by the Food Bank of Siouxland as well as other high-need communities across the country.