BUFFALO, N.Y. — After the Christmas blizzard, Tyson Foods is doing what they can to help out Western New Yorkers who don't know where their next meal will come from.
The company donated a truckload of chicken, weighing 100,000 pounds to FeedMore WNY.
"This is a wonderful donation, especially the fact that it's protein. It will definitely be a wonderful addition to any family's meal. Hopefully it means that they don't have to worry that day, that week, about how they're going to feed their family," said Catherine Shick, public relations manager for FeedMore WNY.
Shick says food insecurity is 25 percent higher in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties than the rest of New York State. If affects every 1 in 8 people in the region.
Shick says more Western New Yorkers needed help at the height of the pandemic. Many are still trying to recover financially, but now the cost of living only continues to rise.
"In the past several months, we've seen about an 11 percent increase throughout all of our food pantries, throughout our four-county service area," Shick said.
"Many of our partners continue to report to us and say that more and more new faces are coming through their doors in need of food assistance and in need of extra help."
That is exactly why donations such as Tyson's are essential to feeding the community.
"This donation will go a long way to helping make sure that our first responders and the emergency food assistance it does provide is able to continue to serve the community especially after this recent storm that has shaken so much of our community members," Shick said.
If you would like to donate to FeedMore WNY, click here.
FeedMore WNY is also looking for volunteers for its 'Meals on Wheels' program.