Lift Up America, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Tyson Foods Join Forces Against Hunger in Kansas City

The Community Food Network, known as Harvesters, has received a donation of 30,000 pounds of protein. On October 31, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri, Lift Up America and the Kansas City Chiefs collaborated with Tyson Foods, Inc. to address the critical issue of hunger in Kansas City. Linebackers from the Kansas City Chiefs were present on Tuesday to assist in unloading and distributing the protein donation from Tyson Foods. The Community Food Network, Harvesters, then distributed the food to over 60 agencies across the Kansas City region. The distribution event began at 2 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium and included a press conference with speakers such as Chiefs President Mark Donovan. For the past 14 years, Lift Up America has been working with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tyson Foods to distribute food to agencies in the Kansas City area. Mark Donovan expressed his joy at the Lift Up America food distribution becoming a tradition for the Kansas City Chiefs over the past decade. He mentioned that he and the players look forward to participating each year, knowing that the food will reach those in need. Lift Up America collaborates with corporations, colleges, professional sports teams, and nonprofit organizations to provide aid to communities in times of need. The Kansas City Chiefs were the first professional sports team to offer assistance. Eric Hannah, president of Lift Up America, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tyson Foods to support Harvesters—The Community Food Network. He expressed hope that their efforts to combat hunger would inspire the younger generation to become Ambassadors of Compassion. The demand for food assistance is higher now than ever before. Nearly 375,000 people are food insecure in Harvesters’ 26-county service area. As the regional Feeding America food bank, Harvesters supplies food and household products to over 620 not-for-profit agencies, serving 141,500 people every month. Valerie Nicholson-Watson, Harvesters’ president and CEO, emphasized the importance of the protein donation to Harvesters and the clients they serve. She noted that protein is often expensive and difficult for families to access, but it is essential for a healthy diet. Harvesters is dedicated to providing the healthiest food possible, and this donation helps them meet the need of feeding one in seven people in their community. Last year, Harvesters distributed over 46 million pounds of food and household products, providing more than 41 million meals. Despite the slow economic recovery and continued high unemployment, the number of people seeking help from Harvesters’ network remains high. For the past 14 years, Tyson Foods has been assisting Lift Up America in providing food in over 20 cities to reduce domestic hunger in the United States. Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated over 100 million pounds of protein in the United States. Matt Pakula, senior manager of corporate social responsibility at Tyson Foods, expressed pride in helping partners like Harvesters—The Community Food Network and Lift Up America, who work tirelessly to end hunger. He acknowledged the complexity of food insecurity in Kansas City and America, but believes the solution begins with involvement and raising awareness. For more information about Tyson Foods, Inc., Lift Up America, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Harvesters – The Community Food Network, please visit their respective websites. Media Contacts: Derek Burleson, Tyson Foods, 479-290-6466, derek.burleson@tyson.com Gene Hallinan, Harvesters, 816-929-3071, ghallinan@harvesters.org Chuck Castellano, Kansas City Chiefs, 816-920-4517, ccastellano@chiefs.nfl.com Cindy Hestand, Lift Up America, 858-485-1171, cindy.hestand@liftupamerica.org