Feed the Children Forges Unique Partnership with Americold and Tyson Foods to Expedite Meal Distribution to Struggling Americans

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Feed the Children, Americold and Tyson Foods are aligning to rapidly deliver more than 500,000 meals to communities across the U.S. to combat the staggering food insecurity children and families are experiencing due to COVID-19.  This unprecendented partnership has produced an innovative distribution model allowing the three organizations to revamp the supply chain and distribute meals more quickly throughout the year to those who need support.

Through an innovative supply chain model, Tyson Foods is able to donate protein to Feed the Children, which is stored using Americold's temperature-controlled warehouses. Americold then donates the necessary storage space to Feed the Children. This three-pronged partnership enables food delivery at a 300 percent efficiency rate so Feed the Children can work with its community partners across the U.S. to quickly deliver food to thousands of families who urgently need help.

"Our partnership with Feed the Children is incredibly meaningful and we're proud of the unique ways we are able to support their efforts to provide for families experiencing food insecurity. By sharing our supply chain expertise and donating storage space, we are reducing the time it takes to get food to those in need. While families across the country face ongoing challenges related to COVID-19, we remain committed to supporting the communities where our associates live and work in any way we can," said Fred Boehler, President and CEO of Americold.

Americold has been a generous partner of Feed the Children. Since their partnership began 5 years ago, Americold has donated critical funds, and travelled thousands of miles providing complimentary temperature-controlled transporation services of chilled and frozen goods that have helped feed hundreds of thousands of families across America. Feed the Children and Tyson Foods have partnered for 18 years to provide protein items to families. However, during these extraordinary times where unemployment rates remain above 6 percent, the organizations are working even more closely together to ensure families who may have never had to worry about their livelihoods still have access to nutritious food.

"We're proud to play a critical role in feeding the nation during this challenging time. Our company is continuing to focus our resources where we can generate the most impact, and we're honored to support organizations such as Feed the Children who are doing heroic work to combat food insecurity," said Debra Vernon, senior director, corporate social responsibility, Tyson Foods.

It is estimated 1 in 4 children are food insecure due to the economic affects of the pandemic. A recent Brookings Institution study emphasized just how important the availability of nutritious food is today when it revealed that food insecurity has increased a staggering 130 percent in households with children under 18 since 2018. That's why Feed the Children works with public and private partners to ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to the safe, healthy and nutritious food they need. By working with a vast network of community partners, Feed the Children provides food and essentials, support for educators, and disaster response to help children and their families achieve stable lives, while providing food and resources to help them today.

"The Americold and Tyson Foods partnership means so very much to Feed the Children, and more importantly, to the families we serve," said Travis Arnold, president and CEO, Feed the Children. "Those living paycheck-to-paycheck do not have a safety net. Our partners are a critical part of providing compassionate support to those who are facing tough decisions about how to care for their families."

Now, more than ever, it's important for the nonprofit sector, corporations, community organizations, government officials, and food suppliers to come together to do good for those who need us. We know that when we combine our efforts, we will have a greater impact.

Visit feedthechildren.org for more information about supporting the nonprofit's mission to provide hope and resources for those without life's essentials.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world's largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it's available and raise the world's expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 139,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit www.tysonfoods.com.

About Americold

Americold is the world's largest publicly-traded REIT focused on the ownership, operation, acquisitions and development of temperature-controlled warehouses. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates 238 temperature-controlled warehouses, with over 1.4 billion cubic feet of storage, in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. Americold's facilities are an integral component of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors and retailers to consumers. Visit www.americold.com for more information.

About Feed the Children

At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in nine countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships.

Visit feedthechildren.org for more information.

SOURCE Feed the Children