SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co. and Budweiser have joined forces to deliver multiple truckloads of frozen Beer Battered Shrimp to the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, Ohio, to support people in need during the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China late last year and is wreaking havoc globally. The donation will provide 100,000 servings of seafood to consumers in the Greater Cincinnati area, which includes parts of Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana.
Ohio’s recent “stay at home” order and other government-imposed restrictions have made access to food more difficult for many people living in the Cincinnati area and elsewhere in the state.
“SeaPak, along with Budweiser, takes great pride in our commitment to feeding families,” said Kristen Beadon, director of marketing at St. Simons Island, Georgia USA-headquartered SeaPak. “Now, more than ever, we stand united in our shared philosophy of doing everything we can to support communities in need and put seafood onto the tables of those who are struggling during these difficult times.”
St. Louis, Missouri-headquartered Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser’s parent company, has a long history of using its supply and logistics network to support emergency relief efforts. Recently, the company announced it is redirecting sports and entertainment investments to its non-profit partners to respond to the Covid-19 public health crisis which has sickened millions of people around the world and been attributed to more than 160,000 fatalities as of April 20.
Alongside its sports partners, Anheuser-Busch will identify available arenas and stadiums to be used for temporary blood drive centers. The company will also use its supply and logistics network to begin producing and distributing bottles of hand sanitizer to accommodate the growing needs across the United States. The hand sanitizer will be utilized at Red Cross blood donation centers and to support emergency shelters for future relief efforts.
“Budweiser wants to lend a helping hand to people in Cincinnati and its surrounding communities,” said Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing. “Together with SeaPak, we want to do our part to help provide meals to those who need them most.”
Freestore Foodbank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief organization. The food bank services 20 counties across the Cincinnati tri-state area, where many vulnerable populations and at-risk groups reside, including elderly citizens and those living in home healthcare facilities.
“This donation comes at a critical time, as food insecurity related to Covid-19 continues to spike in the communities we serve,” said Trisha Rayner, vice president of external affairs at the Freestore Foodbank. “We are grateful for both brands’ support as we work to ensure no one in our network goes hungry during this public health crisis.”
