Contact: Malcolm Hornsby
mhornsby@dcccd.edu
For immediate release — June 16, 2020
(DALLAS) — Employees of DFW’s pandemic-plagued food industry just received a major boost with a donation of more than 40,000 pounds of chicken. It’s all thanks to a partnership that includes Dallas College El Centro Campus, Tyson Foods Inc. and Texas Restaurant Association.
The three powerhouse organizations united with one common goal: to assist local restaurant industry workers, many of whom are still reeling from the effects of COVID-19. Businesses within the industry, arguably among the hardest hit by the global pandemic, were forced to either close or drastically reduce staff and operations.
“This industry is responsible for billions in economic activity in Texas and a massive workforce of roughly 700,000 impacted workers,” said Steve DeShazo, senior director of El Centro’s Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality program.
Many of those workers, who customarily greet and engage guests, were instead welcomed on Friday to the setup outside Dallas College Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center, not with open arms, but with the open hearts of more than a dozen volunteers eager to do their part. One by one, helpers unloaded a refrigerated truck filled with over 800 boxes, each containing 50 pounds of chicken. From truck to trunk, these restaurant employees drove away with a bit of certainty during a time when so much remains unknown.
“Passing out food to our industry families in need was one of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced in this crisis,” said Dr. Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of TRA. “As we continue to push through this moment, we must remember that there are so many people hurting, and each of us can do something to help someone in need. We are grateful to our partners — Tyson Foods and El Centro — for helping to make this happen.”
The event is one of several hosted by Tyson Foods Inc. throughout the country aimed at supporting the restaurant industry during the pandemic.
Learn more about the
Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality program on its website.
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