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Tyson Joins The Fight Against Hunger In Vermont, Olympic Skier Hannah Kearney Lends A Hand


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Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) teamed up with Olympic ski star Hannah Kearney today at the Vermont Foodbank, a member of America’s Second Harvest, to deliver a 30,000-pound donation of much needed protein. Assisting Kearney and Tyson for the donation were fellow Vermonter and two-time Olympian Evan Dybvig and 2002 Olympian and current U.S. team coach Brian Currutt. The donation will supply enough meat for 120,000 meals.


The donation is part of Tyson’s ongoing commitment to hunger relief and national sponsorship of America’s Second Harvest(r) -- The Nation’s Food Bank Network. Since 2000, Tyson has donated more than 41 million pounds of protein to more than 400 hunger relief organizations nationwide. Tyson is also a sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee, providing chicken, beef and pork to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.

“Because protein products are among the most frequently requested items by the Vermont Foodbank’s Network Partners, Tyson’s donation is greatly appreciated,” said Christine Foster, co-interim CEO of the Vermont Foodbank. “The thousands of Vermonters who receive assistance from the Foodbank will benefit from this donation both nutritionally and because it will enhance their menu selection.”

The need for hunger relief is significant. America’s Second Harvest “Hunger in America 2006” study found an estimated 35 percent of local families had to make the choice between food and utilities year-round, and about 27 percent had to choose between food and health care services. The Vermont Foodbank serves 270 member non-profit agencies throughout the state. Those agencies assist 140,000 Vermonters each year.

Foster said children make up more than 30 percent of the population served through the Vermont Foodbank, and a donation of meat products is particularly significant. “Demand for food is always high,” she said. “Protein or meat-related donations are highly sought after. A donation of this size will significantly impact thousands of Vermonters.”

Protein is one of the most efficient and long lasting sources of energy. The chicken donated today is one of the most concentrated sources of protein-an essential nutrient of life. The average person-man, woman or child-needs to eat about 0.4 grams of protein for every pound of body weight, every day. This is approximately equivalent to five ounces of chicken, beef or pork.

In June 2006, Tyson facilities nationwide kicked off a new program to raise funds and awareness for the fight against childhood hunger. The program is called Powering the Spirit(tm) and involves three key components: local fund-raising through cooking and grilling events, sales of a specially produced Tyson cookbook featuring recipes from the kitchens of Tyson team members nationwide and donation of seventy-five percent of the proceeds of those fundraising efforts to the community where the money is raised.



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