LOS ANGELES, CA – The Meat Institute is partnering with the Feeding America network and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank today at the Protein PACT Solutions Summit to assemble and distribute 2,000 Protein Packs filled with nutrient-dense meat products to support individuals and families in need.

Companies including Sigma/Fiorucci, CHOMPS, Jack Links Beef Jerky, and Dietz & Watson provided generous food donations for the Protein Packs, and Marcus Food Company is sponsoring the event.

To further demonstrate the industry’s culture of continuous improvement, the Meat Institute is also highlighting two innovative case studies at this year’s Summit that demonstrate how the sector can play a vital role in fighting childhood hunger.

The Beefing Up Backpacks (BUBP) program in Pennsylvania and the Beef Sticks for Backpacks program in Colorado are two initiatives that help deliver shelf-stable, individually wrapped beef sticks that provide essential nutrients to kids, supporting healthy growth, learning and development.

About one of every five children in the United States lives in a food insecure household. Backpack programs like these help close this gap by sending kids home on Fridays with food they can count on through the weekend.

“Protein is essential for kids to grow, concentrate, and thrive,” said Dr. Keith Belk, Professor at Colorado State University and Director of the Center for Meat Safety & Quality. “These programs not only meet children’s nutritional needs but also strengthen ties between local producers, processors, and communities — showing how agriculture can be a part of the solution to hunger.”

The Meat Institute’s case study, Blueprint for Building Statewide Protein-Focused Child Nutrition Programs, outlines a step-by-step model for replication nationwide, and demonstrates how a $10,000 pilot can deliver up to 50,000 beef sticks, feeding more than 1,000 children for an entire school year.

“These beef-in-backpack programs demonstrate the solutions Protein PACT accelerates, including advancing food security, building trust, and fostering collaboration across the animal protein supply chain,” said Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute.

The Meat Institute urges producers, processors, nonprofits, and policymakers to explore how they can support food security efforts in their own communities— bringing protein to more families through food banks, backpacks programs and other local initiatives.

About the Meat Institute

The Meat Institute represents the full community of people and companies who make the majority of meat American families rely on every day. The Meat Institute’s hands-on regulatory and technical expertise, proactive advocacy, unique convening power, collaboration within and beyond animal agriculture, and sector-leading continuous improvement initiatives drive relationships and resources that ensure meat continues to be a vital, trusted pillar of healthy diets and thriving communities for generations to come. To learn more, visit: MeatInstitute.org.