FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Beth Wakefield, Public Relations Manager, Central Illinois Foodbank
217.522.4022 bwakefield@centralilfoodbank.org – www.centralilfoodbank.org
Casey Thiems, Marketing Manager, IL Pork Producers Association
217.529.3100 | Casey@ilpork.com - www.ilpork.com
Illinois Pork and Commodity Groups Donate 4,200 pounds of Pork to Central Illinois Foodbank
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – As part of Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, presented Central Illinois Foodbank with 4,200 pounds of ground pork this month.
Since its inception in 2008, Pork Power has generated over 916,000 pounds of pork - enough for over 3 million meals - for families throughout Illinois.
Farmers and partnering commodity groups give a combination of whole hogs for processing and monetary donations all year round. Near the end of each calendar year IPPA turns the remaining funds into ground pork and divides it among the regional foodbanks in the state for the holiday season.
“Now more than ever, we see the need to support our communities by supplying those in need with high quality protein,” states IPPA board president Dale Weitekamp. “The protein supply is available, and we are working hard to get it in the right hands just in time for the holidays.”
Due to current restrictions in our state, more families might be spending the holidays in multiple places. We hope that this pork donation will come in good timing for those extra household meals.
“We are so grateful to the Illinois Pork Producers Association for providing their donation of ground pork. Each day, we hear stories of individuals who are struggling to feed their families. This long-standing partnership provides more than just food, it offers hope for a brighter future,” says Pam Molitoris, Executive Director of the Central IL Foodbank.
The ground pork for this donation was processed at Turasky Meats in Springfield, IL.
“The Pork Power project is one of my favorite projects IL Corn invests in,” commented Dirk Rice, ICMB Chairman. “As a farmer, I feel very connected to the job of feeding hungry people and this project allows all farmers, all over Illinois, to do just that. I’ve seen how happy the foodbanks and their customers are to receive the excellent protein source we are donating. This is a great opportunity to give back to our communities, work together for good, and eat more pork.”
“Illinois Soybean Farmers are proud supporters of the Pork Power program as it provides access to pork to hungry families throughout the state by partnering with Feeding Illinois,” said Doug Schroeder, ISA Chairman. “We support the ongoing efforts of this program as it shows how soybean, corn and pig farmers in Illinois continue to support the local communities in which they live.”
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The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) represents more than 2,000 pork producers throughout Illinois and the Illinois pork industry, which contributes more than $1.8 billion and more than 10,500 jobs to the state’s economy. IPPA is comprised of county pork producer groups in approximately 20 counties throughout Illinois. IPPA is an affiliate of the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board.
Central Illinois Foodbank www.centralilfoodbank.org, established in 1982, distributes 10 million pounds of food annually to over 160 food pantries, soup kitchens, residential programs and after-school programs in a 21 county region. Central Illinois Foodbank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. The mission of the Foodbank is to provide food and develop awareness of and creative solutions for food insecurity.