As a global food company, Tyson Foods takes our commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity seriously, and we seek every opportunity to celebrate the backgrounds of our team members. One of the occasions on which we honor the culture, history, and traditions of African Americans is Juneteenth.

Leading the way in this celebration is our African Ancestry Alliance Business Resource Group (BRG), which hosted a hidden history tour for our team members in partnership with the Dallas Museum of African American History this week. And they’ll be participating in the Northwest Arkansas Juneteenth Celebration this weekend. BRG leaders gave this statement about the significance of Juneteenth:

“To celebrate Juneteeth is to commemorate a profound moment in history with significance not only to African Americans but to the entire nation, serving as a pivotal and cataclysmic instance that has had a lasting impact on the fabric of our country’s makeup. As we celebrate this day of African American freedom and achievement, we are equally encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. Juneteenth is a national, symbolic, and global celebration sharing the great respect and appreciation for all of our differences as we grow as a united body, all working together.”

Juneteenth is an educational opportunity for people of all ages, and our friends at the National Museum of African American History & Culture are offering a number of virtual programs this month, alongside children and youth activities, recipes, a reading list, and more.

Mary Elliot, curator of American Slavery for the Museum, says, “Juneteenth is important, because it reminds us of what we came through and what we can achieve … Juneteenth should really be a rallying call for all of us to think about the meaning of freedom, particularly regarding African Americans, as well as to the nation and the rest of the world.” 

In honor of Juneteenth, Tyson Foods is donating 38,000 pounds of protein to Full Hearts, Full Bellies – an organization founded by Chef Millie Peartree that helps feed families in New York City. This community donation will feed about 5,000 households in the Harlem neighborhood.

We previously partnered with Peartree’s organization in March to donate 39,000 pounds of protein to residents in the Bronx area, which has seen a 74% increase in the number of individuals visiting food pantries and soup kitchens since the onset of the pandemic. This previous donation, along with other household essentials and PPE, was distributed during a community day event on March 3, hosted by Peartree in community partnership with Health First and the NYPD.

Our donations to food banks, community pantries and local non-profits align with our efforts to fight hunger in the communities that need it most. We donate to extraordinary organizations that work hard every day to see that people are fed.

To learn more about how Tyson Foods helps address hunger insecurity across the country, visit our community impact page. And for more information about our commitment to inclusion and diversity, visit this page.