In appreciation of the frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in rural areas, Seaboard Foods donated 43,000 pork servings to first responders and their families since April 23. Working with local restaurants in 32 rural communities across 5 states where the company has plant and farm operations, Seaboard Foods distributed 14,500 pounds of Prairie Fresh pork butts and loin and paid local restaurants to prepare the product for health care workers and first responders.

Thankful for the additional business brought about by the donation, local restaurants prepared meals to more than 3,500 firefighters, police, hospital and healthcare clinic employees and their families in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa. Many of the partner restaurants had reportedly lost half of their business due to the pandemic. The Seaboard Foods partnership provided restaurants with the income needed to continue operation during the crisis while also allowing them to help their neighbors.

Some of the communities receiving meals include the following:

• Ames, Bloomfield, Carroll, Iowa Falls, Lamoni, Le Mars, Leon, Sheldon and Hawarden in Iowa
• Beaver, Fairview, Guymon, Hennessy, Hooker, O’Keene, Texhoma and Tyrone in Oklahoma
• Elkhart, Hugoton, Leoti, Liberal, Rolla, Richfield, Santana, Scott City, Tribune and Ulysses in Kansas
• Holyoke and Julesburg in Colorado
• Perryton and Spearman in Texas

“We are dedicated to the communities and the public health agencies battling the pandemic on the front lines. Being able to support local businesses who in turn can provide healthcare workers with a warm meal, is our way of doing the right thing,” said Duke Sand, president and CEO of Seaboard Foods.

In addition to the supporting public health agency workers, Seaboard Foods has made donations to help the community in other ways. It has donated over 293,000 servings of pork to community organizations including 45,000 servings to food pantries. It has provided over 2,000 face masks and personal protective equipment suits to hospitals. Seaboard Foods has also supported local schools by contributing school supplies and educational needs. 

Seaboard Foods will continue to serve first responders meals through the middle of May.

Source: Seaboard Foods