As part of the Oklahoma Pork Council’s (OPC) third annual Give-A-Ham campaign, Seaboard Foods is partnering with OPC for a major 10,250-pound donation of homegrown pork to Oklahoma City beneficiaries. The donation of over 10,000 pounds of pork, which comes from locally raised pigs and processed at Seaboard Foods’ Guymon, OK plant, will provide much-needed assistance to area organizations; The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Homeless Alliance, and Grace Rescue Mission, among others. During this holiday season, this donation will help those in need and support the local community when we need it most.
Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Davida Gomez, Community Enrichment Specialist at Seaboard Foods to get the details.
“The Oklahoma Pork Council does an amazing job representing the pork producers of Oklahoma,” Gomez said.
Yesterday, December 18, they started at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, and following the donation, OPC and Seaboard Foods caravaned and delivered pork to other area beneficiaries, including:
- Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
- Homeless Alliance
- Grace Rescue Mission
- City Care Night Shelter
- City Rescue Mission
“It was really heart-warming to see the work that they are doing, and how we can help them by providing protein to ensure that everyone is getting a quality meal in addition to what these other services are providing for them,” Gomez said.
Gomez spoke about the technology being used by the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma so they can reach larger areas. She was most touched by the Homeless Alliance because it is a shelter for families.
“I think what got me the most there is they have a Christmas shop for people to donate toys to, so the homeless families can choose gifts for their children,” Gomez described. “Then they have volunteers that gift wrap them so they can provide gifts for their kids.
“You take for granted being able to have electricity for heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer and provide meals for your family, but then you start to think about the other expenses that come around the holidays, and it brought tears to my eyes. It is pretty amazing what these groups are doing. We are thankful that we are able to help, too.”
Be sure to listen to the complete conversation by clicking the listen bar at the top of the page.
This donation from Seaboard Foods, coordinated and with support from the Oklahoma Pork Council, is part of OPC’s ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and addressing hunger. As part of OPC’s Give-A-Ham campaign, OPC has provided over 2,400 meals to communities in which we live, including Stillwater, Maysville, Tulsa, and Wewoka. In addition to the Seaboard Foods donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, this coordinated donation will also impact the Homeless Alliance and the Grace Rescue Mission with over 500 pounds of pork, continuing the Give-A-Ham campaign and feeding the homeless during the season of giving.
