NORFOLK, Va. — A major company is leaping to new heights of charity. Just about every day the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore receives multiple trucks filled with food.
“We need this food desperately,” said Chris Tan, the CEO of the Foodbank.
Tan said Leap Day means an extra day families will need to get food on the table. Though, this delivery on Leap Day means a lot.
“Our lines are much longer today than they were a year ago today,” Tan said.
As part of a national effort for Leap Day, Perdue Farms dropped 80,000 pounds of frozen chicken breasts at the food warehouse in Norfolk. Perdue Farms executives say this is a partnership with the Foodbank and Feeding America. It’s the company’s largest national protein donation.
“They’ve been a long-time partner of this foodbank," he said. "So, Perdue reached out to us which is wonderful.”
Tan said this donation can help to provide 70,000 meals to families in Hampton Roads. He said it comes at a critical time when donations fall short after the holiday season.
“That’s no different this year," he said. "Our donations are down a little bit, particularly food donations.”
Tan said this donation also takes a load off of his shoulders.
“Protein is really something that foodbanks struggle to find and just find it affordably,” he said.
He said it also helps many families save a few dollars.
“Protein is also very expensive," he said. "So, it’s one of the things that gets cut from your budget when your budget is tight.”
Perdue Farms plans to donate 3.3 million pounds of protein nationwide to other communities in need. That would provide 2.75 million meals.