Tyson provides disaster relief following tornados in Northwest Arkansas
Post Date - Apr 11, 2022
Overnight on March 30-April 1 of this year, strong tornadoes swept through northwest Arkansas, injuring many while damaging buildings, knocking out power and displacing as many as 200 resident families. A National Weather Service team that was sent to Springdale, Ark., confirmed the tornado damage was consistent with wind gusts of up to 135 miles per hour.
As this was our hometown, Tyson Foods immediately responded by donating more than 250,000 pounds of protein which provided at least one million meals to storm victims, volunteers, first responders and affected Tyson team members.
Following the storms, John R. Tyson, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer at Tyson Foods, said, “We’re deeply saddened by the damage here in our hometown of Springdale and want to do our part to help the people affected. We’re working with our local community partners to amplify their support and do our best to help those in need.”
In addition to its meal donations, Tyson Foods runs a Helping Hands program that offers financial assistance to employees following a disaster or personal hardship. Employees who were impacted by the storms were encouraged to reach out for monetary assistance from the program.
Tyson team members not only assisted with clean-up efforts but also led a product drive for school supplies and non-perishable food to give to local families in the Springdale School District who were displaced by the storms. The company collaborated with other non-profit organizations including Feed The 479, Hope Distributors, the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and the Springdale Church of God to distribute protein to the community.
This is not new territory for the Tyson team as members often respond when disaster strikes in or near their communities. In 2012, as part of Tyson Foods’ Meals that Matter® disaster relief program, the company outfitted a 53-foot semi-trailer with enough refrigerated space to store up to 20,000 pounds of product for initial response, and dry storage to transport supplies to set up a feeding site and support for Tyson cook teams. The Meals that Matter trailer can distribute more than 100,000 meals per day to victims of disaster, first responders, volunteers, and Tyson team members.
Tyson Foods’ Meals that Matter® disaster relief program responded in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, major tornadoes in Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma, hurricanes in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas and numerous natural disasters like wildfires and flooding in communities across the U.S.
Interested in lending a helping hand yourself?
As a member of Tyson Foods’ private fleet, you could be in the driver’s seat helping people in need when disaster strikes. To join Tyson’s private fleet, applicants must be at least 21 years old and have at least 9 months of verifiable tractor-trailer experience within the last year, a valid CDL-A in your state of residence and live within one of the company’s hiring areas. For more information, connect with us today.