As part of a commitment to improve quality of life in its communities, Perdue Farms has renewed its support for Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) in Petaluma, Calif., and its food program Mary’s Table with a $20,000 grant funded through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. The donation from Perdue’s charitable giving arm is part of the company’s Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® initiative focused on improving quality of life and building strong communities.
“The Mary’s Table program provides an average of 4,615 nutritious, freshly prepared meals each month to our shelter residents and anyone in the community experiencing food insecurity or hunger,” said Ouida Joi Cooper-Rodriguez, Committee on the Shelterless chief housing officer. “The program provides daily healthy lunch and dinner meal services, all freshly made in our kitchen, 365 days a year.”
“With strong funding from the Perdue Foundation, and a generous individual donor base, COTS will be able to sustain Mary’s Table and the positive impact this service makes toward ending hunger in the community,” he said.
While the full impact of COVID-19 is unknown, the effect on the homeless community has been particularly devastating. The potential economic fallout could increase the number of homeless and create higher demand for shelter and services.
“The COVID-19 data that we collected indicates that nearly one-third (32%) of people are seeking COTS assistance due to COVID-related job loss and other economic impact related to the pandemic,” Cooper-Rodriguez said.
COTS also is launching People’s Village in partnership with the city of Petaluma. People’s Village will be a 25-unit tiny-homes program on property next to the Mary Isaak Center, the building that houses the shelter and Mary’s Table. Phase I of People’s Village will provide interim housing for up to 32 people in their private spaces. Mary’s Table will provide meals for People’s Village residents, which will increase monthly meal service from 4,615 to about 6,600 in the latter half of the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Committee on the Shelterless. This organization does great work to serve the most vulnerable of our neighbors,” she Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. “Their ability to provide healthy, fresh lunches and dinners through Mary’s Table means so much. We are proud that many of our associates volunteer to help with these efforts and equally as proud to invest in their success.”
