StarKist®, Feed the Children, and Feed 479 Unite to Support 400 Northwest Arkansas Families with Food and Resources

Associated Press

14 hours ago

Community Resource Rally Delivers Essential Aid to Local Families Facing Summer Insecurity
ROGERS, Ark., June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With summer in full swing and school cafeterias closed for the season, many families in Northwest Arkansas are looking for ways to keep meals on the table. Today, StarKist®, Feed the Children, and Feed 479 joined forces at Cross Church in Rogers, AR, to host a Summer Food and Resource Rally, delivering food, essential household items, and a sense of hope to 400 families across the region. They were joined by Walmart associates, as well as Advantage Solutions and Flywheel, whose partnership and participation helped make the event a true community-wide effort.
The initiative reflects a powerful collaboration between a national food brand, a global nonprofit, and a dedicated local pantry, all working toward one goal: supporting families experiencing food insecurity during a season of heightened need.
'StarKist is a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient, nutritious protein products,' said Edward Min, President and CEO of StarKist. 'We're proud to work with Feed the Children and Feed 479 to offer meaningful support to families in Northwest Arkansas. Events like this rally are a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together for our communities. We are grateful for the opportunity to get our StarKist products into the hands of those who need them most.'
During the event, volunteers, including StarKist employees, local officials, and community advocates, distributed 400 family kits. Each kit included StarKist protein products, a 25-pound box of shelf-stable food, a 15-pound box of hygiene essentials, and additional resources to help ease the burden for families this summer.
'We here at Feed 479 are so excited to partner with Feed the Children and StarKist for this great Summer Family Event. Each year at our Feed 479 'Choice' Pantry, we see an increase in need during the summer months as families have more demand for meals due to their children being home from school,' said Dennis Smiley, Director of Feed 479. 'Events such as this give a little extra blessing for these families during these summer months. We are grateful to be able to be part of such a wonderful event.'
For Feed the Children, the Summer Food and Resource Rally provides an opportunity to help meet the community's immediate needs while making a meaningful difference for families. Feed the Children believes it takes everyone – the nonprofit sector, corporations, community organizations, government officials, and food suppliers – to come together to end childhood hunger.
'We've seen the significant impact Resource Rallies have in supporting communities experiencing food insecurity, and we're grateful to be working with StarKist and Feed 479 to make a difference in the lives of children and families,' said Emily Callahan, President and CEO of Feed the Children. 'Working together we're able to provide food and quality of life essentials that children and families need to survive, grow, and thrive. Through the power of partnership, we can make a greater impact as we seek to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry.'
This Resource Rally follows a similar event held earlier this month in Reston, VA, home to StarKist's corporate headquarters. Looking ahead, StarKist and Feed the Children will continue their collaboration with additional events planned for the upcoming holiday season.
For more than 16 years, StarKist has remained deeply committed to the fight against hunger, donating over 1.2 million pounds of nutritious, protein-packed tuna and chicken products to communities in need. These contributions amount to nearly $4.9 million in product donations, along with an additional $985,000 in financial support to help address food insecurity across the United States.
Through its enduring partnership with Feed the Children, StarKist has played an instrumental role in more than 20 Resource Rally events nationwide, including vital disaster relief and emergency response initiatives. This ongoing collaboration builds on a legacy that dates back to 1917, when the company first stepped up to help feed the nation during World War I. Today, that same spirit of service continues, fueled by purpose and strengthened through partnership.
About StarKist Co.
StarKist Co. is a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient nutritious proteins. An industry innovator, StarKist was the first brand to introduce convenient single-serve pouch products, which include StarKist Tuna Creations®, Salmon Creations®, and Chicken Creations® in over 40 varieties. As America's favorite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist's charismatic brand icon, Charlie The Tuna®, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.
About Feed the Children
Feed the Children is a leading nonprofit committed to ending childhood hunger. The organization believes that no child should go to bed hungry, and so it provides children and families in the U.S. and around the world with the food and essentials kids need to grow and thrive. Through its programs and partnerships, the organization feeds children today while helping families and communities build resilient futures. In addition to food, Feed the Children distributes household and personal care items across the United States to help parents and caregivers maintain stable, food-secure households. Internationally, it expands access to nutritious meals, safe water, improved hygiene, and training in sustainable living. As responsible stewards of its resources, Feed the Children is driven to pursue innovative, holistic, and child-focused solutions to the complex challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and poverty. For children everywhere, the organization believes that having enough to eat is a fundamental right. Learn how you can help create a world without childhood hunger at feedthechildren.org
About Feed 479
Feed 479 is the ministry arm of Compassion Center of NWA, a non-profit that was established in 2016 with the mission of 'Extending Help, Love and Dignity to Northwest Arkansas.' Feed 479 accomplishes this by offering a choice food pantry to our friends and neighbors, where people can come and receive fresh and healthy food in an inviting and welcoming atmosphere. Every week hundreds of families come through our door to pick out fresh produce, meats, deli items, bakery items and shelf stable items to help meet their needs. To provide this food, Feed 479 trucks pick up retail rescue items daily from local partners which we can distribute to our neighbors in a timely manner. In 2024, through our choice pantry in Springdale and our mobile pantries in Rogers and Fayetteville, Feed 479 has served and extended help, love and dignity to over 250,000 individuals in our community.
Media Contacts:
StarKist: Michelle Ford Faist / 571-441-8096 / [email protected]
Feed the Children: Kelly Frey / 405-945-4064 / [email protected]
Feed 479: Dennis Smiley/ 479-372-1051 / [email protected]
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SOURCE StarKist Co.