Tyson donates chicken to Ozarks Food Harvest

Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc. yesterday donated 38,400 pounds of chicken to Ozarks Food Harvest.

The donation supports the annual McDonald's Cans for Coffee campaign. Through the Oct. 29-Nov. 18 program, customers who donate a nonperishable food item to Ozarks Food Harvest receive a free small coffee product from McDonald's, according to a news release.

“At Tyson Foods, we can donate food because there are tremendous organizations like Ozarks Food Harvest all across the country that work hard every day to see that people are fed in their communities. We couldn’t do it without them,” said Gina Johnson-Bumgarner, regional sales manager for Tyson Foods, said in the release. “On behalf of the 115,000 Tyson team members from across the country, we’re proud to donate this truckload of Tyson products toward hunger relief in southwest Missouri.”

According to Ozarks Food Harvest, food items high in protein are the least donated to food banks. The Tyson donation gives a boost to the Springfield nonprofit's southwest Missouri service area, where it says the food insecurity rate is 16 percent. The organization defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to a nutritious, well-balanced diet.