In response to historic flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Tyson Foods is sending teams to prepare meals for those affected by and responding to the disaster. A cook site will be set up at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe, Texas, and free, hot meals will be provided onsite beginning at 11 a.m. Friday morning for anyone who is in need, the company said in a press release.
In addition, a distribution network will be established with local authorities and disaster relief organizations to deliver meals to flood victims in the Houston metro area.
Teams from Tyson Foods’ operations in Clarksville, Dardanelle, Scranton and Texarkana, Arkansas, will arrive onsite Thursday. The company’s Meals that Matter mobile relief truck will be sent from its home in Springdale, Arkansas, and is also expected to arrive onsite Thursday. The company is sending three tractor-trailer loads of product totaling nearly 100,000 pounds, one tractor-trailer load of bulk ice, one tractor-trailer load of bagged ice and one tractor-trailer load of bottled water.
Tyson Foods will be working closely with its disaster relief partners Bimbo Bakeries USA, Harris Baking Co., Hugg & Hall Equipment Co., and Peppersource to maximize relief efforts.
Team Rubicon, another disaster relief partner comprised of military veterans, is deploying its Mobile Command Center, which was donated by Tyson Foods in 2014 and includes sleeping quarters, and office and storage space for Team Rubicon’s staff and volunteers.
The company has also announced a $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to the Salvation Army to assist in disaster relief efforts in Texas.
“With nearly 12,000 team members throughout the state of Texas and a facility in Houston, the damage left by Hurricane Harvey hits close to home,” said Debra Vernon, senior director, corporate social responsibility. “This deployment wouldn’t be possible without the support of our team members, disaster relief partners and customers who are all volunteering time and resources to make sure our response is as successful as possible.”
