Key Food, Tyson Battle Hunger in Big Apple

Key Foods and Tyson Foods have joined forces with the Food Bank For New York City to provide a truckload of Tyson products to the organizations for distribution throughout New York City area.

“There are millions of hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet, and are faced with the realities of hunger and malnourishment,” noted John Tyson, chairman of Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods. “We’re trying to make a difference in their lives by providing nutrient-rich protein and by increasing understanding of hunger in our country.”

Although nutrient-dense meat and poultry can be especially helpful to those who need more protein, including growing children, pregnant women, the elderly, anyone undergoing severe stress, or the disabled, according to health experts, food banks across the United States report that meat is the most requested and least available food.

“Approximately 3 million New Yorkers are struggling to put food on the table, and 1.5 million already rely on the food bank’s programs and services,” said Lucy Cabrera, president & CEO of the Bronx-based Food Bank For New York City, on whose programs and services one in five local residents relies. “As we continue to experience a jobless recovery and the unemployment rate continues to hover around 9 percent, providing nutritious food to our network of 1,000 community-based programs becomes that much more essential. This wonderful donation of protein will help the food bank meet the growing need for food.”

Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated 79 million pounds of protein to hundreds of food banks, food pantries, and relief agencies in 48 states. The company teams with all of the country’s major hunger relief organizations, among them Lift Up America, Feeding America, Share Our Strength, and the Food Research and Action Center.

Earlier this year, Tyson Foods launched the “KNOW Hunger” campaign to help raise hunger awareness in the United States. The project encourages people get involved in relief efforts in their own communities

Staten Island, N.Y.-based Key Food Stores consists of more than 100 individually owned member supermarkets in the five boroughs; Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties; and New Jersey.

Last year, the Food Bank For New York City distributed 74 million pounds of food, including more than 14 million pounds of fresh produce, and helps provide 400,000 free meals daily for New Yorkers in need.