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Tyson Foods, Inc. and McDonald’s Give Hunger a Jolt

Tyson Foods, Inc. and McDonald’s Give Hunger a Jolt

November 16, 2010

Ozarks Food Harvest receives 32,000 pounds of protein from Tyson Foods in support of McDonald’s Cans for Coffee food drive

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— For the third consecutive year, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is supporting McDonald’s annual Cans for Coffee food drive by donating 32,000 pounds of protein in an effort to fight hunger. Ozarks Food Harvest distributed the food to more than 200 agencies throughout the Ozarks.  The donation event was held at Ozarks Food Harvest’s warehouse at 2:00 p.m. and included a press conference with representatives from each organization.

McDonald’s Cans for Coffee food drive encourages participants to donate a non-perishable food item in exchange for one free small McCafé® coffee or hot chocolate of their choice through Nov. 21.

“McDonald’s proudly serves many community efforts in the Ozarks,” said McDonald’s Owner Chip McGeehan.  “In this season of Thanksgiving, our Cans for Coffee food drive encourages our customers to join us in helping the needy in their communities.  We want to thank Tyson for their contribution to this food drive.”

Missouri ranks in the top 10 states for the number of food insecure households, making food drives such as Cans for Coffee all the more important to area residents. Ozarks Food Harvest is the only food bank in southwest Missouri and serves 28 counties, distributing more than nine million pounds of food annually.

“In these challenging times, we’re forced to distribute more and more food to thousands of additional families who have never needed our help before,” said Bart Brown, president and CEO at Ozarks Food Harvest.

“The Cans for Coffee food drive is a great program dedicated to bringing a greater awareness to the issue of hunger in America,” said Ed Nicholson, director of community relations, Tyson Foods. “Our company and team members recognize the increasing demands upon food banks, especially during the holiday season. We are delighted to do our part to help make a difference in this community.”

Protein is an excellent source of energy and an important part of a healthy diet. Unfortunately, protein is the item that is donated to food banks the least. The chicken donated today by Tyson is one of the most concentrated sources of protein — an essential nutrient of life.

“We’re honored to partner with Tyson to do our part to put more protein-rich foods on the dinner tables of those in need. We truly value Tyson’s long-lasting impact in communities like ours,” said Brown.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest—The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the only food bank in southwest Missouri, serving more than 300 hunger relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank reaches more than 14,000 individuals weekly and distributes nearly nine million pounds of food annually—made possible due to its network of charities and direct-relief programs such as the Weekend Backpack Program™, Kids Cafe® and the Mobile Food Pantry™ program. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org and at facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest.

McDonald’s
McDonald’s USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. For more information on McDonald’s visit www.mcdonalds.com or log on at any of the 11,000 Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants.

Tyson Foods, Inc.
Founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world’s largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500.  The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and services to customers throughout the United States and more than 90 countries. The company has approximately 117,000 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 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. To find out more about the Tyson Foods commitment to hunger relief, go to http://www.tysonhungerrelief.com