Since 1986, Cargill has partnered with Feeding America, providing financial, product, volunteer and thought leadership support in several key hunger-relief areas.
“Our work with Feeding America is a national partnership with local appeal—it’s what attracted us in the beginning and what keeps us interested going forward,” said Pete Stoddart, Cargill's North American director for corporate responsibility. “We’re a global company but with this partnership, we can put our local hats on and find things that can be done in rural locations and outskirt metropolitan locations … We have confidence that Feeding America is making our dollars work hard.”
Closing the Protein Gap
Cargill, a Feeding America Visionary Partner, has made transformational investments to support Feeding America’s protein strategy, including protein pack rooms, which enable partner food banks to efficiently accept bulk protein donations, safely repack and process the product, and get the much-needed protein swiftly to people in their communities.
Throughout the nationwide food bank network, protein is one of the most highly desired items for neighbors facing hunger. Stoddart noted the protein gap in the U.S. and how it can be remedied by improvements in the food system.
“There is protein available,” he said. “When we’re able to support a strong in-kind donation of protein, we all win. Protein is in high demand, and we want to make sure it reaches people who need it.”
Supply chain disruptions and other factors can impact the ability of timely protein transport from point A to point B.
“We share a supply chain with Feeding America, and when there’s product that won’t reach our customer’s intended destination, protein pack rooms are the next best alternative,” Stoddart said.
Since 2020, the network’s protein pack rooms have collectively rescued and repacked more than 10 million meals for people facing hunger. Since 1986, Cargill has invested more than $28 million to support Feeding America’s mission, providing grant funding to food banks to support protein pack room capacity building, retail agency enablement, food safety and more.
A Legacy of Food Safety
In 2007, Cargill provided initial funding for Feeding America to create its national food safety program. Subsequent support by Cargill led to the implementation of a rigorous food safety program at all 200 partner food banks. This includes ensuring up-to-date food safety certifications and increasing food safety standards and knowledge network-wide.
“We see our dollars working very hard in that program—it’s become a real staple,” Stoddart said.
The Power of Partnership
Cargill’s partnership with Feeding America has expanded in recent years, including Cargill’s latest $4.9 million donation, which includes grants for food banks within Cargill markets, with a focus on rural communities and/or communities of color with high food insecurity rates.
Through it all, Stoddart noted, the focus never wavers from helping end hunger in America.
“There’s no greater joy than when an opportunity comes in and we’re able to lean on Feeding America to make that happen—and the ‘make-that-happen’ part is never insignificant, whether it’s small or massive. I’m super fortunate. I can log off at the end of the day and know I helped have a hand in that, and I wouldn’t have had a hand in it if Cargill didn’t have a partner in Feeding America to aid us along the way.”
