The SLO Food Bank is receiving more than 10,000 pounds of meat from the California Mid-State Junior Livestock Auction.
The Junior Livestock Auction was held in July and allows children of all ages to experience the hands-on feeling of raising livestock for sale. The sale of their livestock also helps feed community members in San Luis Obispo County.
This year,10,260 pounds of beef was donated to the SLO Food Bank. This vital commodity will be distributed countywide through the SLO Food Bank's direct distribution sites and its agency partners over the coming weeks.
This is the second year the meat has been donated by James W. Brabeck Youth Legacy Fund's (JWBYLF) Buyers' Coalition. According to a press release, the Buyers' Coalition purchased 18 head of steer to support local hunger relief efforts.
SLO Food Bank Board of Directors Vice-Chair, Joe Simonin, participated in the Junior Livestock Auction as a bidder on behalf of the Food Bank. Simonin worked closely with JoAnn Wall, Buyer's Coalition Committee Chair, who led the effort to track the day's purchasing activity. Together, they worked to support the FFA and 4-H students' efforts while simultaneously providing a resource for hunger relief in SLO County.
"The young people who chose to exhibit a livestock project at this year's CMSF knew going in that there was a great risk to their endeavors, and they chose to do it anyway. I think it took great courage and perseverance to see these projects through and the JWBYLF Buyers' Coalition was proud to be there in person to contribute to their success on the auction block. The fact that we are able to able donate much-needed protein to the food insecure in our community makes these efforts so much sweeter", shared JoAnn.
Templeton & Visalia Livestock Markets and Central Valley Meat / Harris Ranch covered the costs of processing, packaging, and distribution for the SLO Food Bank.
