Melaleuca donates over 24,000 pounds of beef to Idaho Foodbank for food insecure families
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The following is a news release from the Idaho Foodbank.
MERIDIAN – High-quality beef will be available to more Idahoans in need, thanks to a $216,399 donation recently made by Melaleuca: The Wellness Company to The Idaho Foodbank. This contribution of 24,959 pounds of ground beef and steak specifically comes from Riverbend Meats, a sister company affiliated with Melaleuca, which is a health and wellness products manufacturer headquartered in Idaho Falls.
The donation consists of 12,183 pounds of ground beef; 7,135 pounds of diced steak; and 5,641 pounds of steak strips. Melaleuca’s donation filled an entire semi-truck. This beef donation will be available to The Idaho Foodbank’s nonprofit partner organizations in eastern Idaho, including Community Food Basket in Idaho Falls, to put this food in the hands of Idahoans who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Protein is a highly desired food for the people we serve and this valuable donation comes at a crucial time when too many individuals in our communities are facing food insecurity,” said Randy Ford, President and CEO of The Idaho Foodbank. “We appreciate Melaleuca’s philanthropic partnership and their ongoing charitable work to help Idahoans who are struggling to make ends meet.”
Last year, Melaleuca gave over $12,000 to The Idaho Foodbank, which provided food for up to 50,000 meals for food insecure Idahoans.
Melaleuca has made generous donations to many of The Idaho Foodbank’s partner organizations to address food insecurity in eastern Idaho. This included an $8,000 donation to the United Way of Bonneville County to buy food for children when school cafeterias closed over the holidays and $8,000 to stock up the Heart 2 Hand Bingham Food Pantry. Additionally, they helped St. Vincent de Paul of Pocatello purchase a box truck for their food bank. Melaleuca has also pledged over $75,000 to help The Salvation Army of Idaho Falls construct a new commercial kitchen to feed large groups.
According to the most recent Map the Meal Gap report, over 8% of Idahoans experience food insecurity. More than 34,000 people in eastern Idaho experienced food insecurity. And of that number, 10,340 were children.