Washington State Beef Commission, Double R Ranch and Food Lifeline join with Haggen to provide nourishing beef meals to neighbors in need
Bellingham, Wash., 2015-3-16 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the fourth consecutive year, Haggen has partnered with Food Lifeline and AgriBeef, Co. to support the Washington Beef Commission’s Beef Counts campaign, a joint effort to provide nutritious Northwest beef to community members in need. Throughout the month of March, Haggen is giving customers three simple ways to help raise funds for Beef Counts:
- Buy Double R Ranch Beef at Haggen in March. For every pound of beef sold at Haggen this month, Washington’s Beef Community will make a donation—up to $10,000—to Food Lifeline. Haggen and Double R Ranch will match this donation with a goal of raising $20,000 to providing 40,000 servings of protein-packed beef to neighbors in need.
- Donate at the cash register. Customers can add a cash donation to their grocery bill during their regular shopping trip. There’s no limit to how much can be donated through this method, and every penny will go directly to Food Lifeline.
- Share photos tagged with #WABeefCounts. When people share an image of their Double R Ranch beef meal with the hashtag #WABeefCounts on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, local farmers and ranchers will donate an additional $5 to Beef Counts, up to $2000.
“As a grocer, the issue of hunger is very close to our hearts here at Haggen,” said John Clougher, CEO Haggen Pacific Northwest. “We’re lucky to have access to some of the best beef in the world right here in Washington, and we’re resolved to help Food Lifeline achieve its goal of receiving high-quality protein for our neighbors in need.”
Washington State ranks 22nd in the nation in overall food insecurity, with one out of every six Washington households food insecure at some point during the year. Half of all food bank recipients are seniors and children in critical need of the protein and minerals found in beef to sustain a healthy, well-balanced diet. The USDA recommends that most people eat five to six ounces of high-quality protein per day, but less than 11 percent of food bank donations are protein-based.
“We felt very strongly that mobilizing Washington’s beef community behind this mission would make a real impact on the severe lack of high-quality protein available to families in need,” said Jay Theiler, executive director of marketing for AgriBeef, Co. “We are fortunate to have had a fantastic partner in Haggen all these years, a company committed to local sourcing and making a positive impact in the community they call home.”
The beef will be provided to Food Lifeline by Double R Ranch and AgriBeef, Co. Food Lifeline will then distribute this beef to its network of 276 local food banks, meal programs and shelters. Each family receiving the beef will also receive a brochure that details proper cooking methods, healthy recipes, nutrition facts, and safe beef handling and storage information.
“Thanks to the generosity of Haggen, its customers, and Washington ranchers and farmers, thousands of hungry people will get the high-quality protein they need via Food Lifeline’s 275-agency network of food banks, meal programs and shelters,” says Linda Nageotte, President and CEO of Food Lifeline. “Beef Counts is a critical program that helps us meet the growing needs of children, families, seniors and many others who face hunger every day in our community.”
About Haggen
Founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Washington, Haggen has built its business on providing guests the freshest and most local products with genuine service, while supporting the communities it serves. The company currently operates stores in Washington and Oregon, and is in the process of acquiring an additional 146 stores. With this acquisition, Haggen will expand from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies; from 2,000 employees to more than 10,000 employees; and from a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a major regional grocery chain with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. Throughout its eight decades in business, the company has supported regional farms, ranches, fisheries and other businesses, creating a lasting and sustainable local food economy. The company remains focused on building local, sustainable food economies as it expands. For more information about what’s happening at Haggen, visit haggen.com.
About Double R Ranch
Double R Ranch Northwest Beef is a premium beef brand from AgriBeef Co., in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Located in the pristine Okanogan region of Washington State, the Double R Ranch is recognized for its high quality cattle genetics and for its commitment to animal well-being and environmental stewardship. The Double R Ranch’s preservation of its picturesque land and native wildlife, and the recycling of resources to create a model of sustainable beef production represent the “Heart and Soul” of the brand.
About Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline approaches hunger as a logistical problem that can be solved. Working with the food industry and its surpluses, we come up with creative solutions to stopping hunger, including redirecting good food from manufacturers, farmers, grocery stores and restaurants that might otherwise go to waste. We provide 88,000 meals a day to 276 local food assistance programs, and that, combined with our policy work, creates a sustainable approach to hunger. For more information about Beef Counts at Food Lifeline or to make a tax-deductible donation, www.foodlifeline.org/beefcounts or call 206-545-6600.
About the Washington Beef Commission
The Washington State Beef Commission is the beef promotion, research and consumer education arm of the state’s beef industry. It is funded entirely by the assessments of Washington’s over 9,000 family farmers and ranchers. Visit www.wabeef.org for beef recipes and to learn more about Washington’s beef community.
Media Contact
Deborah Pleva
deb@weinsteinpr.com
(503) 250-4750
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