Pete Nebhut

Here's a collection of video from the 2009 Lift Up America donation with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.   89 student athletes, 39 northwest Arkansas non-profit agencies, a 35 lb. truckload of Tyson products came together on one clear, cold Ozark Saturday morning.  It was fun and rewarding.

Lieu R. Smith from Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry in Berryville, Arkansas.

Lieu is one of thousands of people who work at ground level in the fight against hunger.  His food bank feeds four to five hundred families a month.

Rodger Hunter, the Student Life Coordinator for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks athletic program is a heck of a guy. 

Rodger works hard to get student athletes involved in the community. To put them in places where they need to be, and keep them out of places they don't.

Today, Rodger helped bring an amazing 85 Razorback athletes to Don Reynolds stadium--in sub-freezing temperatures and long before they normally get up on Saturday morning--to help distribute 35 thousand pounds of Tyson products to 38 agencies of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.  With that much muscle and energy, it was phenomenal how quickly the product went out of the  Tyson truck and into the agency vehicles.

Props to you Rodger.  Keep on doing what you're doing, and thanks for your help today.

Other student athlete video interviews can be seen here:

Jackie Booker--UofA Soccer Goalie

Kyle Komerek--UofA Javelin Thrower

Most folks around Arkansas know London Crawford as being an outstanding receiver, and part of what has been known as the "play of the year," a 24-yard touchdown pass in the last 22 seconds, that pulled Arkansas ahead of LSU in the final game of the 2008 season.

But today, London made another outstanding play, interviewing a member of an agency of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, discussing the work of the agency in fighting hunger in the community. 

London was one of about 85 Arkansas athletes who came out on a sub-freezing day to help distribute food to 38 agencies of the food bank.  

This is the kind of off-the-field news that, while occurring often, doesn't get reported enough.

Kudos London.  We think you could make a great reporter.

University of Arkansas football players helping donate 35K lbs. of Tyson products at a Lift Up America donation, January 24, 2009.

David Cook, who volunteers with the Decatur Christians in Action food pantry talks about the great need in a small community.

By Ed Nicholson

 

A cold morning at Don Reynolds Stadium

Today we're live-blogging from the University of Arkansas's Don Reynold's stadium, where we're partnering with the Arkansas Razorbacks, and Lift Up America to distribute a truckload of Tyson products to agencies of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.

We have Tyson chairman, John Tyson, UofA athletic director, Jeff Long, Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America, and a bunch of Razorback athletes and and spirit squad members, all braving the cold to help load boxes of chicken into trucks, vans and trailers going to non-profit agencies serving the needy in northwest Arkansas. 

All of this started five years ago with similar donations involving the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs.  This is the third year we've done this event with the Razorbacks, one of sixteen such events we've done with Lift Up America and college and pro teams this year. 

We'll be posting here as the day develops, as well as putting up Twitter messages, adding photos to Flickr, and posting videos to YouTube. 

Special shout out to Hugg & Hall for bringing out a forklift to help us get the products off the truck!

GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 18, 2008 – More than 40 Greenville-area hunger relief agencies received some much-needed assistance today, thanks to the efforts of Tyson Foods, Inc., (NYSE:TSN), Lift Up America and student-athletes and coaches from Furman University. Coach Bobby Lamb and approximately 12 members of the football team helped a team of 25 volunteers unload a truckload of protein products donated by Tyson Foods today near West End Field. The truck contained more than 30,000 pounds of protein products that were distributed to area hunger relief agencies.
“This event is a great way to show the university’s commitment and support for the Greenville community,” said Lamb. “Our players are proud to volunteer their time to the Lift Up America program and to help distribute this donation from Tyson Foods that will make such a difference to people in need. Like the many other volunteers who are here today, we are here because Greenville is where we live and work, too.”

DENVER – Nov. 30, 2007 – Lift Up America and the Denver Nuggets teamed up with Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) to help bring the gift of food to the area's less fortunate on Dec. 4, 2007. The entire team was on hand to help unload a truck containing more than 30,000 pounds of protein products to be distributed among 30 hunger relief agencies selected in partnership by the Nuggets and Food Bank of the Rockies  in the Denver area. The event was held at the Pepsi Center.

“Our partnership and team spirit between these great organizations has a tremendous impact,” said Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America. “It is truly inspirational to see so many entities coming together with such a noble goal in mind.” 
 

 “We’re honored to join forces with such caring organizations to help the people of the Denver area,” said John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “We hope our contribution inspires others to participate in the fight against hunger.”

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Jan. 24, 2008 – The fight against hunger in the Winston-Salem area got some help today from Tyson Foods, Inc., (NYSE: TSN), Lift Up America and student athletes from Wake Forest University.  Players and coaches from several Wake Forest sports teams help unload a truckload of protein products donated by Tyson Foods today at Groves Stadium.  The truck contained more than 26,000 pounds of protein products that were distributed among 18 hunger relief agencies.
“Voice of the Deacons” Stan Cotton; coaches and athletes from the university’s football, soccer and women’s field hockey teams; cheerleaders; the Demon Deacon mascot and members of the Pep Band all worked alongside volunteers to unload the truck and distribute the donated protein to representatives from local hunger relief agencies. 
“Our partnership and team spirit between these great organizations has a tremendous impact,” said Dave Hannah, CEO of Lift Up America. “It is truly inspirational to see so many entities coming together with such a noble goal in mind.”
  “We appreciate the dedication that the students and coaches associated with Wake Forest University’s athletic department demonstrate, both on the field and off, said John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “We also appreciate their assistance today as we work together to fight hunger in the Winston-Salem area.” Approximately 70 students and coaches representing Wake Forest University participated in today’s event.ts and coaches representing the University of Arkansas at today’s event.