Perdue Farms gift enables NC food bank to buy refrigerated truck

Perdue Farms and the Food Bank of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City NC recently unveiled a new refrigerated tractor-trailer that supports the organization’s distribution of food within the 15 counties it serves in northeast North Carolina.

The tractor-trailer was funded through a $100,000 grant by the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, in conjunction with the company’s 100th anniversary.

“This most generous gift from the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation enabled the Food Bank to purchase a 53-foot refrigerated tractor-trailer that will help make transformational change year-over-year as we’re able to provide more nutritious protein and produce to the communities we serve,” said Liz Reasoner, executive director of the Food Bank of the Albemarle. “The trailer, which has been in service since March, is an indispensable asset to our current COVID-19 relief efforts, and this gift will have an incredible impact on food bank operations for years to come.”

The trailer provides additional storage and transportation capacity, and enables the food bank to source and distribute an additional 700,000 pounds (2.8 million servings) of healthy and nutritious product annually. Since March, the Food Bank has utilized the trailer to store 200,000 pounds of food, distribute more than 100,000 pounds, and pick up an estimated 60,000 pounds of product this year from local produce farmers.

The Perdue Foundation gift aligns with the company’s “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors” hunger relief initiative focused on providing access to nutritious protein for people struggling with hunger and making meaningful progress toward ending hunger. In January, the Perdue Foundation announced a $1 million donation to support 10 of its Feeding America-affiliated food bank partners in celebration of the company’s 100th anniversary.

“At Perdue Farms, we’re committed to doing all that we can to support the communities we call home, and value our ability to help address the issue of food insecurity,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. “We’re proud that we can expand our partnership with the Food Bank of the Albemarle through this gift and improve their ability to help meet the needs of our neighbors, especially during this uncertain time.”