Last week, The Ten Seventeen (1017) Project donated over 10,000 pounds of fresh beef, pork, goat and lamb to 33 food banks and community kitchens throughout Central Oregon thanks to generous donations from local businesses at the Crook County Fair 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction. The Hicks Team of Fay Ranches Real Estate led the charge by donating 12 animals through the Fay Community Foundation to the 501c3 nonprofit. The Project has been supplying monthly beef donations, to the tune of 170 tons in multiple states since its inception in 2014.
“The 1017 Project has been, in large part, operating under the radar in Central Oregon for eight years. Quietly generating fresh protein every month for hungry families. Today was an opportunity for over 24 businesses and individuals to get behind 1017’s efforts and support the ranch-to-food-bank system they have worked hard to put in place,” said Jerry Hicks, of Fay Ranches Real Estate.
According to the USDA, more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, in the United States are food insecure. Recovery from the pandemic’s economic disruption is expected to take three to five years. The 1017 Project increased its beef donations by 166 percent over the last two years and has recently partnered with two USDA beef processing plants in California and Texas to supplement the pipeline of fresh beef to food banks that are experiencing record numbers of clients coupled with devastating drops in fresh food donations.
Despite the challenges facing the food system, 1017 beef has become a reliable staple in food banks and shelters. “Our clients are used to being last in line for just about everything in their lives, including food. The 1017 Project, instead, puts our clients first by using premium cuts from the entire cow that comes fresh from the butcher to our food pantry,” said Jordan Reeher, Food Bank partner and program specialist with NeighborImpact.
“We raise and supply fresh beef to over 40 food banks and shelters in a 7,000 square mile area of Central Oregon,” The 1017 Project Founder and Executive Director, Jordan Weaver, said. “The opportunity to partner with so many local businesses at one county fair livestock sale ensures more Oregon families have access to high-quality needed protein.”
About The 1017 Project:
Based in Powell Butte, The 1017 Project is a nonprofit that supports people facing food insecurity by providing high-quality protein. The unique business model of The 1017 Project has positioned the organization for long-term sustainability and growth, and program expansion requires an increase in individual and corporate fiscal partnerships. Financial support and donations of physical goods — including cattle, hay and pasture — are welcomed and greatly appreciated. Tax deduction receipts are issued to all donors.
