Vertically Integrated Partnership Donates Over 100,000 lbs of Potatoes to Second Harvest for Tom's Turkey Drive

SPOKANE, Wash., Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- At a recent November 3rd food donation event in Spokane, Vertically Integrated Partnership partners Sodexo, Hirai Farms, Annie's Fun, McCain Foods and Larson Allen teamed up to donate 100,000 pounds of potatoes and several hundred Thanksgiving meals to Second Harvest as part of Tom's Turkey Drive.

During the donation at Second Harvest's Regional Warehouse in Spokane, Jason Clark of Second Harvest, Blaine Hirai of Annie's Fun & Hirai Farms, Pam Smith of Sodexo, Tom Sherry of KREM TV and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown all made remarks about the important work that the VIP is doing to help those in need. The VIP is a coalition of farmers, food processors, food distributors, food service companies and other companies that are working together to help stop hunger in the Pacific Northwest.

"We are very grateful to Sodexo, Hirai Farms, Annie's Fun, Larson Allen and McCain Foods for their generous donations that will be a part of thousands of Thanksgiving meals for families in need," Clark said. "These donations mean so much as we continue to see increases in those seeking assistance."

For video or photos of the Vertically Integrated Food donation click the following links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnkb7KFtNf8 or http://picasaweb.google.com/verticallyintegratedpartners/110310VIPPotatoDonationToSecondHarvestForTomSTurkeyDrive?feat=directlink.

For more information about the recent VIP food donation, contact Rod Wieber, Chief Resource Officer of Second Harvest, at (509) 252-6259 or [email protected].

About Second Harvest

Founded in 1971 as a central warehouse for a handful of emergency food pantries in Spokane, Second Harvest is the pioneering organization that leads the fight against hunger in the Inland Northwest. Today, partnerships with 275 neighborhood food banks and meal centers make it possible for Second Harvest to provide food to thousands of hungry people each week. Second Harvest's food bank network spans 21 counties in Eastern Washington and five counties in North Idaho - just over 51,000 square miles. Second Harvest distributes more than 1.5 million pounds of donated food each month throughout its vast service area. Second Harvest's food helps fill the nutritional gap for people in poverty, the working poor, elderly and disabled people on very low fixed incomes, and children and families in temporary crisis.

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SOURCE Second Harvest