Powell Butte-based 1017 Project tops 200 tons of beef donations to food banks, community kitchens

POWELL BUTTE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The 1017 Project surpassed the 200-ton donation mark in 2022, with 266,714 pounds of fresh ground beef going to food banks during 2021 and 2022.

The 501c3 nonprofit based out of Powell Butte, now supplies fresh USDA ground beef to food insecure people in multiple states, and says its unique business model is proving to be sustainable while overcoming typical supply chain challenges.

The tally includes 130,013 pounds donated in 2022, 136,701 pounds in 2021 and a total of 405,024 pounds (202 tons) given since the effort began in 2014.

When it became clear that COVID-19 was going to affect food-insecure families well beyond the pandemic, The 1017 Project immediately increased its beef donations to food banks, shelters and religious organizations by 166%. In addition, the Project expanded its efforts to Texas, Arizona and Montana, and is partnering with additional USDA-certified processors in California and Fort Worth, Texas.

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.

“In the past two years, the entire food system has been disrupted, affecting many of the partners that would normally make donations of food to hunger relief organizations," said Holly McLane, Outreach Director for The 1017 Project. "In addition, food banks are on the front lines of a growing food inequity crisis, whereby ultra-processed, high-calorie, shelf-stable pantry items are often the only options provided to marginalized people in our communities; subjecting our most vulnerable citizens to added risk of diseases related to poor nutrition,”

Despite the challenges facing the food system, 1017 Project beef has become a reliable, nutrient-dense 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 in Redmond.

“We now raise and supply fresh beef to over 70 food banks and shelters in four states,” 1017 Project Founder and Executive Director Jordan Weaver said. “The opportunity to partner with USDA beef processors in other states allows us to reach cities outside of our usual service area of Central Oregon, ensuring more families have access to high-quality protein.”

About The 1017 Project: The 1017 Project is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality protein to food banks and community kitchens. 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. To learn more and to support the Project’s efforts to fight food insecurity, visit www.1017project.com.