Seaboard Foods and the Oklahoma Pork Council (OPC) teamed up this week to donate more than 40,000 pounds of Prairie Fresh ground pork and sausage to the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, providing the equivalent of about 160,000 servings to families facing food insecurity across the region.
The large-scale donation was made on Dec. 10 as part of OPC’s annual Give-A-Ham Challenge, a holiday-period campaign that mobilizes pork producers and food industry partners to support neighbors in need.
The week’s giving also included an 800-pound donation to Loaves and Fishes in Enid, Okla., and the partners served 300 free hot community meals in Bristow, Okla. — further extending their impact in local communities.
Jeff Marlow, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, highlighted the scale of need in the state and the importance of the donation. “Food insecurity continues to impact over half a million Oklahomans each year. We are all better together and this tremendous donation helps us serve our community and make a significant and immediate difference in the lives of families and individuals in need.”
Kylee Deniz, executive director of the Oklahoma Pork Council, said the Give-A-Ham campaign drives generosity statewide.
“This incredibly generous bulk pork donation from Seaboard Foods, totaling 160,000 four-ounce servings, will help feed individuals and families across the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s 24-county network,” Deniz said. “That level of impact is truly incredible, and we are so proud to be feeding Oklahomans alongside Seaboard Foods this holiday season and beyond.”
Seaboard Foods President and CEO Chad Groves shared, “At Seaboard Foods, we believe food has the power to bring people together and strengthen communities. Supporting local food banks and organizations is one way we live out that commitment. By sharing wholesome Prairie Fresh pork with our neighbors in need, we’re not just providing meals, we’re helping create moments of connection and care across the communities where we live and work.”
The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma distributes food to more than 600 partner pantries and feeding programs across 24 counties, and the pork donation is expected to significantly bolster its efforts during the holiday season and into the new year.
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