On October 25, we celebrated the opening of Treehouse Pantry, the latest addition to our Community Pantry Program (CPP). Located in Springdale, Ark., Treehouse Pantry will have the capacity to support 3,000 families in the Northwest Arkansas area when fully operational, providing food, school supplies, health and hygiene products, clothing, and other community resources.

“The Treehouse Pantry, an addition to Tyson’s Community Pantry Program (CPP), will provide more than just protein and food, but a safe place for families within the community to go for other resources like clothes, shoes, school supplies, and personal hygiene items,” John R. Tyson, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Chief Sustainability Officer, said at the dedication ceremony. He, along with students from local Springdale schools, cut the ribbon to officially open the pantry.

The mission of Treehouse Pantry is to eliminate hardships students and families may face that could hinder their success, in and out of the classroom. The pantry plans to open in five phases, starting with donation distributions and growing to include social services, internships, and a community store. In addition to fighting hunger, staff members will also connect families to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as well as health care and community resource programs.

Along with over 14,000 pounds in product, Tyson has donated a $150,000 drive-in freezer capable of holding up to 30 pallets of food.

“We’re honored to be part of a community like Springdale,” John R. Tyson said, “who turns challenges into opportunities and creatively finds a way to serve our neighbors.”

At Tyson Foods we’re deeply committed to fighting hunger in the communities where we live and work and providing greater access to protein worldwide. Our Community Pantry Program currently includes 42 pantries across 17 states, and we’ve provided almost 20 million meals through the program. Learn more about CPP and our hunger relief efforts here.