SALISBURY, MD. (October 17, 2013) — As part of its commitment to building stronger communities, Perdue, through the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, has renewed its support of local youth with a $10,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County. The Foundation has awarded $30,000 in endowments to Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2011.
Photo: Kenny Lambert, director of Perdue Farms’ operation in Bridgewater, Va., presents a check for $10,000 from the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Harrisonburg/Rockingham County. From left to right are Emily Bollman, BBBS Director of Programs, Lambert, Susan Totty, BBBS Executive Director, and Kevin Flint, BBBS Board of Directors president.
“Perdue and the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation continue to serve as vital partners in our efforts to help build a stronger community by increasing the odds that children facing adversity in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County achieve success,” said Susan Totty, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters. “Their contributions have directly sponsored over 50 one-to-one mentoring relationships over the past three years. We look forward to continuing our collaborations to help local children reach their full potential.”
According to Totty, the funds will be used to support matches in the Big Brothers Big Sisters School/Site-Based Mentoring Program. Matches in this program meet at the child’s school or an approved after school site for one hour each week. Matches may do such things as have lunch together, go to recess, play games, work on homework or make crafts. “In the end, the program is about providing guidance and building a child’s confidence to help foster an eagerness to learn and succeed,” said Totty.
“At Perdue, we’re proud to stand side by side with Big Brothers Big Sisters as advocates for fostering positive mentoring relationships with children in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County communities,” said Kenny Lambert, director of Perdue operations in Bridgewater, Va. Lambert serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Board and Resource Development Committee. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact a mentor can have in the life of a child, and am proud that our company is continuing its support in the local community through this Foundation funding.”
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County is a youth-services organization that pairs adult mentors in professionally guided, one-to-one matches with children facing adversity. As an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, the organization holds itself accountable for children in the program to achieve positive, measurable outcomes through research-based methods. Among other improvements, local evaluation data shows that children served progress academically, avoid delinquency, and experience increased self-confidence. Founded locally in 1976 as an outreach of Trinity Presbyterian Church, the organization is the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in the state of Virginia, serving 752 youth in 2012. For more information, please call 540.433.8886 or visit www.bbbshr.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. To learn more about the local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter, visit www.bbbshr.org.
About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness, and represents the Perdue family ownership. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, through expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the Perdue brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, to our third-generation of family leadership with chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained a family-owned, family-operated business dedicated to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. To learn more about Perdue, visit www.perdue.com.
About the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture.