Tyson Foods Exceeds $50 Million in Hunger Relief Contributions

Indiana Farmer Recognized as One of Tyson Foods' 'Meals That Matter Heroes' SPRINGDALE, Ark. — December 3, 2019 — Tyson Foods committed $50 million in cash and product donations in 2015 to combat hunger by 2020. The company is pleased to report that it has surpassed this target ahead of schedule by donating over $60 million towards hunger alleviation in just four years. Tyson Foods' donations include grants for hunger relief to nonprofit organizations and over 5 million pounds of protein given to food banks, community pantries, and disaster relief initiatives. In recognition of surpassing its 50 in 5 target, Tyson Foods is celebrating three Meals that Matter® Heroes, individuals committed to various hunger-fighting initiatives. The company is also recognizing 21 Homegrown Hunger Heroes nominated by Tyson Foods employees. "Following through on our commitments is a key part of our company culture," said John R. Tyson, Chief Sustainability Officer, Tyson Foods. "By setting and achieving this goal in just four years, we have fulfilled our commitment in a way that has positively impacted lives nationwide." The three Meals that Matter® Heroes received a total of $160,000 to support their hunger relief efforts. "After getting to know our three heroes, I was moved by their passion, innovation, and determination to tackle hunger," said Tyson. "All three identified a problem, took action, and are making a difference in their communities and nationwide. We are proud to support their work." The first Meals that Matter® Hero recognized by Tyson Foods is Jonathan Lawler, a produce farmer from Greenfield, Indiana. Lawler founded Brandywine Creek Farms, a nonprofit organization committed to combating hunger in Central Indiana. Lawler is also working on establishing urban farms in Indianapolis, educating the community about agriculture, and providing fresh produce to the city's food deserts. Since 2016, Brandywine Creek Farms has donated approximately 2.1 million pounds of produce in Central Indiana. Tyson Foods recently granted Lawler $100,000 to expand the farm's operations and ensure its mission remains sustainable for the foreseeable future. "Like many farmers nationwide, spring flooding caused planting delays and ultimately a smaller harvest," said Lawler. "But more importantly, it meant those struggling with hunger weren't receiving the produce we would typically donate. This investment by Tyson Foods helped save our season and will make a difference in thousands of lives in Indiana." Lawler is opening a small grocery store in Indianapolis with the aim of providing fresh, affordable food to one of the city's largest food deserts. Lawler will also use the space to establish a pay-what-you-can café, a model for hunger relief he became interested in after meeting Maggie Kane, the second hero recently recognized by Tyson Foods. Kane is the founder and executive director of A Place at the Table, the first pay-what-you-can café in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Kane was inspired to open the restaurant after spending six years advocating for those in Raleigh struggling with homelessness and hunger. The café opened in 2018 and has served thousands of people with a dignified, healthy, and affordable meal regardless of means. The café's model allows patrons to pay the suggested price for their meal, pay what they can, or volunteer in the café in exchange for their meal. Tyson Foods awarded Kane a $30,000 grant to help build a new commercial kitchen that will allow them to provide more meals to those in need. "Tyson Foods' generous gift will enable us to build our first commercial kitchen in the new space we're expanding into next door, furthering our mission to provide community and good food for all, regardless of means. While we have served over 10,000 meals since opening in January 2018, the addition of a professional kitchen will help us realize our full potential of how A Place at the Table can serve the Raleigh, N.C. community," said Kane. "We are incredibly thankful for Tyson Foods and can't wait to share many more meals and build a bigger community." To learn more about A Place at the Table, please visit tableraleigh.org. Our final hero is Jasmine Crowe, founder and CEO of Goodr, a company that addresses food waste by leveraging blockchain technology to recover food and ensure delivery to nonprofits and those in need. Crowe was inspired to launch Goodr after years of feeding people from her own kitchen and realizing hunger isn’t a scarcity issue, it’s a logistics issue. Tyson Foods awarded Crowe $30,000 to help establish the company’s charitable giving arm. "We are so grateful for this honor, and this grant has allowed us to launch our foundation and serve nonprofits in our community,” said Crowe. “Our foundation will focus on strengthening our communities through our beloved nonprofit partners. We’ll provide microgrants for kitchen equipment and organics recycling programs to truly close the loop on food waste. We’ll also