HARRISONBURG, VA. (March 10, 2015) — Perdue, through the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, has renewed its support of children facing adversity with a $10,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County. The Foundation has awarded $40,000 in endowments to Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2011. Through its local operations in Bridgewater, Perdue has also committed as the $5,000 presenting sponsor for the agency’s annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser in March. Perdue was a $2,500 sponsor in 2014.
Photo: At the Perdue facility in Bridgewater, Perdue Director of Operations Kenny Lambert (left) and Human Resources Manager Jim Hungate present a check for $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Director Sue Totty.
“We’re pleased to continue our support for Big Brothers Big Sisters through this grant from the Foundation and our sponsorship of Bowl for Kids’ Sake,” said Kenny Lambert, director of Perdue operations in Bridgewater. Lambert also serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Board of Directors. “Making a grant to a program that not only benefits the children of this community but also encourages our associates and other citizens to mentor and get involved aligns with our values and commitment to community. We love what Big Brothers Big Sisters stands for and the difference it makes in the lives of the kids who participate.”
“We are grateful to Perdue and the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation for their continued commitment to building stronger communities through programs like ours,” said Sue Totty, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters. “Through this partnership, their investments have had a direct impact on over 60 children facing adversity in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County by supporting their matches with caring adult mentors.”
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 will often work on homework, have lunch together, play games, or any number of other relationship-building activities. Among other improvements, evaluation data shows that children matched in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program progress academically, avoid risky behaviors such as drugs and truancy, and experience higher self-confidence.
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 680 children 2014. For more information, please call 540.433.8886 or visit www.bbbshr.org.
About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, HARVESTLAND® and COLEMAN NATURAL®, and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products.
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.™