Kevin Berken announces donation of 15K pounds of rice to help feed hungry
Sep 11, 2015
BATON ROUGE, LA -- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain, rice industry leaders, and representatives of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank (GBRFB) gathered at the Capitol Park Museum in view of the state capitol yesterday to proclaim September as Louisiana Rice Month and Louisiana Hunger Action Month and to make the annual rice donation to the GBRFB.
Dr. Strain presented Gov. Bobby Jindal's official proclamations declaring September as Louisiana Rice Month and Hunger Action Month.
In making the donation to the GBRFB, Louisiana Rice Promotion Board Chairman Kevin Berken stressed the industry's strong record of support for the needy, noting that this year’s donation of more than 15,000 pounds will provide more than 180,000 servings of rice to neighbors in need.
Louisiana Rice Mill and Falcon Rice Mill of Crowley, Planters Rice Mill of Abbeville, and Farmers Rice Mill of Lake Charles provided rice for the donation. Blue Runner Foods of Gonzales, Louisiana joined the effort to feed the hungry by donating twelve cases of their signature dry beans.
Network television affiliates from CBS, NBC and Fox covered the event as well as Louisiana Farm Bureau’s weekly television program, This Week in Louisiana Agriculture.
The GBRFB is a regional food bank that provides food to more than 114 charitable agencies operating food pantries, group homes, shelters, meal sites and special agencies in 11 parishes. In 2014, the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank provided approximately 8.9 million meals to those in need.