Perdue Foundation Commits $100,000 to Support Campaign to Build New Eastern Shore Public Library in Rural Virginia
SALISBURY, MD. (Thursday, June 22, 2017) — As part of its commitment to education and libraries in the communities it serves, The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation has committed $100,000 to support the Eastern Shore Public Library Foundation’s campaign to build a new facility in Parksley, Va., and help fund its children’s room.
“Thanks to the generous donation of the Perdue Foundation, the children of Accomack and Northampton counties will have a beautiful children’s room at the new regional main library in Parksley,” said Kitty Hall, chair of the library board of trustees. “The room will have space for other programs, such as the summer reading program and creative STEM (science, technology, engineering and match) activities. And, best of all, more shelves for all the wonderful children’s books. The room will be bright and welcoming for all to visit and enjoy.”
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation has committed $100,000 in funding to support the new Eastern Shore Public Library (ESPL) in Parksley, Va. From left to right are Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, Fitz Godwin, president of the Eastern Shore Public Library Foundation, John Edmonds, chairman of the Library Foundation, Cara Burton, director of ESPL, Bel Holden, Perdue human resources manager in Accomac, Kitty Hall, chair of the library board of trustees, and Tamra Langford, Perdue business unit leader in Accomac.
As a result of the Perdue Foundation funding, the children’s room will be named in honor of the Perdue family. “Libraries meant so much to Mr. Arthur and Frank Perdue. We love to support them in places we call home - like the one here in the Accomack County community, which serves so many of our associates, their families and children,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation.
“The Eastern Shore Public Library has long served as a center of community activity and learning. The local community is so important to the Eastern Shore and we’re proud to lend our continued support through the Perdue Foundation. We know this library will continue to do wonderful things for our associates and neighbors who live there,” said Nechay.
The new 18,000-square-foot library will house computers for online training, job certification and job applications. It will also feature a large group instruction room for training and classes, small group meeting rooms to provide tutoring for English as a second language learners, as well as space for webinars, distance learning resources and study.
“Every child should start early with reading. Perdue recognizes this by supporting the new library children’s room needed to supply books, story times, and activities necessary here on the Shore,” said Cara Burton, director of the Eastern Shore Public Library. “We thank Perdue for having the foresight to contribute to our community’s future.”
About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture®.
About Perdue Farms
We’re a third-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.
We focus on continuously improving everything we do, constantly learning, and sharing those insights across different production methods. That innovative approach is driving change throughout the company and onto farms. This continuous advancement is leading us toward our vision of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.
The PERDUE® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2020, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. We’ve increased our support for the family farm by creating new markets, including specialty crops. Through agricultural services, we give farmers more options for the acre, including conversion to organic production and products and services that increase the sustainability of conventional agriculture. Learn more at www.perduefarms.com.