Assisting in Efforts to Build a New Facility
EL CENTRO, CA—MAY 11, 2018— Every year, Wilbur-Ellis, through its Impact Funds Program, allocates funds for contributions that benefit the communities where its employees live and work. These Impact Funds can create a sizable effect within these localities. Wilbur-Ellis’ Feed division recently donated $5,000 to the Imperial Valley Food Bank (IVFB) to assist the organization in reaching its goal of being fully funded before ground breaking. The project is currently 86% funded.
For the last 27 years, the IVFB has operated out of an old warehouse and is experiencing food safety issues at this site. The Imperial Valley is one of the most productive farming regions in the United States, currently ranking in the top 10 percent of all agricultural sales, yet the percentage of children experiencing food insecurity ranks amongst the worst 10 percent in the country. Twenty-four percent of residents live below the poverty line, and 33 percent of children in the area live in a food-insecure home. In 2016, the IVFB began its campaign to raise funds to purchase a 3-acre site and build a new 28,000-square foot facility. Initial fund raising began with land donated by the James Irvine Foundation and a $1 million donation by both Rabobank and the local Imperial Irrigation District Utility.
“Wilbur-Ellis Feed’s donation and involvement with the project demonstrates our care and attention to one of the many communities we are a part of,” said Wilbur-Ellis Feed Product Group Manager Dan Wray. “We will be part of this project for many years to come.”
With a strong commitment and a sense of shared responsibility for nearly a century, Wilbur-Ellis positively impacts the communities where its employees live and work through the use of these Impact Funds. To date, Wilbur-Ellis has donated over $6.5 million to its local communities. For more information, please visit www.wilburellis.com.
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About Wilbur-Ellis Feed
Wilbur-Ellis Feed is an industry leader in the international distribution and marketing of nutrients for the livestock, pet food, aquaculture and animal nutrition industries. For nearly a century, Wilbur-Ellis Feed has provided value-added ingredients, excellent service and creative solutions to maximize return for its customers and suppliers. Wilbur-Ellis Feed generates over $475 million in sales revenue annually and has over 30 locations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Japan. For more information, please visit www.wilburellisfeed.com.
About Wilbur-Ellis Impact Funds
Every year, Wilbur-Ellis distributes funds for contributions that benefit the communities where its employees work and live. With a strong commitment and sense of shared responsibility for nearly a century, Wilbur-Ellis positively impacts local communities through these funds. To date, Wilbur-Ellis has donated over $6.5 million to our local communities. For more information, please visit www.wilburellis.com.
About Imperial Valley Food Bank
Imperial Valley Food Bank (IVFB) has served as an independent, non-profit charitable organization since 1991. Created and operated for and by residents of Imperial County, IVFB has flourished since our humble beginning in a garage. IVFB has steadily increased our capacity to meet the needs of our community. The demand for emergency food assistance in Imperial Valley remains a county-wide effort as IVFB consistently serves 20,000 individuals monthly. IVFB’s primary function is to resource, allocate and distribute nutritious food through non-profit agencies in the county who distribute food directly to their local communities. For more information, please visit www.ivfoodbank.com.
