Olympic athletes Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon, the #CooknBacon duo, presented a donation of 91,395 meals to Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest’s largest hunger relief organization on Dec. 10.
“It feels great to know we are helping feed those in need with nutritious protein, especially during the holidays,” Kassidy Cook, Olympic medalist, said in a release.
This donation by Minnesota Pork Board, along with Profinium Bank, reflects the continued partnership between these Minnesota-based organizations, working together to provide high-quality protein and hunger relief across the state and strengthen their communities.
Cook and Bacon have been active partners with Minnesota Pork promoting pork as a nutritious source of protein on their social media platforms. They were joined by representatives from the Minnesota Pork Board and Profinium Bank at the event to highlight the importance of supporting local food banks and helping families in need across the state, Minnesota Pork Board said in a release.
“We are so grateful for the Minnesota Pork Board’s ongoing partnership, but it’s especially needed this year as neighbors deal with rising costs. Prices have gone up across the board – energy, housing, healthcare, childcare – and the more we’re paying for those pieces, the smaller our grocery budgets get,” Allison O’Toole, Second Harvest Heartland CEO, said in a release. “With the holidays coming up, more neighbors are looking for help getting food on the table. Donations like this make it possible for Second Harvest Heartland to get the food people know and love—like pork—out to those in our community who need it.”
This donation is part of Minnesota Pork Board’s ongoing commitment to invest in people and communities. Funds were allocated from the organization’s community investment initiatives, including proceeds from the outreach event at the Minnesota State Fair, where duo #CooknBacon met with the public and t-shirt sales supported this donation.
The donation was also made possible through Profinium Bank’s giveback program, which supports local nonprofits committed to community vibrancy and sustainability in Minnesota.
“I would like to thank Second Harvest Heartland for their work in feeding families in our communities and throughout the Midwest,” Todd Selvik, pig farmer and vice president of the Minnesota Pork Board of Directors, said in a release. “I’m greatly appreciative of Profinium Bank for their generosity and the important work they do every day to help Minnesota’s farmers. It’s also been a joy to partner with Kassidy and Sarah and have them amplify pork’s story.”
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