Starting the week of Dec. 6, and in the spring of 2021, Christensen Farms, one of the largest family-owned pork producers in the country, donated over $30,000 to food banks across the Midwest. The organization collaborated with local food banks in 18 communities in which it operates to provide pork certificates to those in need.

"At Christensen Farms, we are proud to serve the noble purpose of providing safe, nutritious pork to families across the country," says Amber Portner, Christensen Farms communications manager. "For many families in the Midwest and throughout the country, putting food on the table can be a daily challenge, and providing a key source of real protein is not just a daily luxury, it is essential."

In addition to its annual food shelf donations made this holiday season, the Christensen Farms Employee Resource Group 'Women LEAPP,' takes on helping families in need through an 'Adopt-A-Family' program within their local communities of Brown County, a program that pairs the group with multiple families to purchase essentials and gifts for them during the holiday season. The group also does an annual donation of $500 for coats for kids in the county.

"We also partner with the United Way of Brown County (based in New Ulm, Minn.) as the program partner for the Project Lunchbox program," Portner says. "Project Lunchbox is a program that specifically helps children in the New Ulm area who qualify for free or reduced lunches receiving two meals and two snacks to take home with them over the weekend. This is critical as one in eight Minnesota children are food sensitive, meaning that 13% of kids going home for the weekend, not sure if they're going to be able to eat."

The following communities and food banks received pork vouchers from Christensen Farms this holiday season:

Minnesota
Sleepy Eye Area Food Shelf, Sleepy Eye; New Ulm Area Emergency Food Shelf, New Ulm; Springfield Area Food Shelf, Springfield; We Care Project Food Shelf, Morgan; Kitchen Table-Marshall Food Shelf, Marshall; Redwood Area Food Shelf, Redwood Falls; Manna Food Pantry, Worthington; Prairie Five CAC – Canby Area Food Shelf, Canby; and Rock County Food Shelf, Luverne

Iowa
Neighborhood Food Bank, Forest City; Emmet County Food Pantry, Estherville; and Franklin County Community Food Pantry, Hampton

Illinois
Compassionate Food Ministry and On the Tracks Café, Paris

Nebraska
Central Northeast Community Food Bank, O’Neill; and Northeast Nebraska Action Partnership – Creighton Family Services, Creighton

South Dakota
Safe Harbor, Aberdeen; Tri-County Good Samaritan Center, Redfield; and Pierre Food Pantry, Pierre