Celebrating an Impactful Food Donation from a Local Favorite
When we checked in with our food bank partners across our network, high-protein foods landed at the top of the list of most-desired foods. Meat is often expensive and hard to source in quantity, so Food Lifeline works hard to offer a variety of options to meet the dietary needs of our neighbors.
That’s why a recent generous donation from Draper Valley Farms stood out. Draper Valley donated their surplus of over 330,000 pounds of frozen chicken. Prepped as individual pieces and packaged in bulk containers, this nutritious meat is ready for use in meal programs across Western Washington. A pound of chicken typically yields 3-4 servings, so this incredible donation adds up to approximately 1 million meals for Western Washington neighbors.
Rashad Bell, Food Lifeline Director of Food Resources, explained, “Protein continues to be one of the most requested and hardest-to-source categories across our network, and bulk chicken directly helps fill that gap. It’s nutrient-dense, culturally versatile, and something our partners can truly build meals around. Because it’s familiar and widely used across many cuisines, it allows agencies to serve meals that feel more complete, more meaningful, and more reflective of what people want to eat. Donations like this are critical to improving both the quality and relevance of the food we distribute.”
We spoke with Chad Warden, Director of the Draper Valley Farms plant in Mount Vernon, and Penny Roodzantz, Draper Valley HR Manager, to learn more about the company, and their commitment to their community.
Chad shared, “We want to make sure that we’re good stewards of our community. And right now, we have a surplus, and we want to make sure that we’re putting that in the best possible form for our neighbors, and for our communities.”
All Draper Valley chickens are raised locally and antibiotic-free. Their Roxy branded chickens are organic, Ranger chickens are free-range, and are sold in major retailers along the west coast.
“Some of our associates have worked at Draper Valley for 40 years; They have been here for a very long time, and they are dedicated to the community. That we are producing this food to stay within our communities is pretty cool.”
–Penny Roodzantz, Draper Valley HR Manager
We are grateful to Draper Valley Farm for this generous and timely donation that will nourish so many of our neighbors. Their support highlights what’s possible when people living and working in the local food system work together to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food. Thank you for your generous support.
