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TURLOCK, Calif., Dec. 26, 2014 Aiming to support those in need throughout Stanislaus County, Gemperle Family Farms and its affiliates will donate over 100,000 eggs this holiday season. The holiday egg donations will support 20 organizations across the Central Valley, including the United Samaritans Foundation and Turlock Together."At Gemperle Farms, we believe in coming together to help local families and children in need," said Gemperle Family Farms President Steve Gemperle. "It's part of our responsibility as a local family-run business to help others out during these difficult economic times, especially with such high unemployment and increased food costs." It just isn't the Christmas season when Stanislaus County families struggle. With 22 percent of families living below the poverty line, the unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent and nearly 30 percent of children living in poverty, this is an ongoing problem. "Stanislaus County is one of the poorest counties in the nation," Gemperle said. "Our partnership with the United Samaritans Foundation and Turlock Together is the foundation of our egg donations, and it works to ensure healthy food gets to those in need." In 1994, Ernie Gemperle helped found the United Samaritans Foundation. Part of the mission behind this organization is to deliver food to those in need. United Samaritans Foundation will use the Gemperle Farms eggs to serve 300 families with emergency food boxes. These boxes contain healthy staple food items, fruits and vegetables, yogurt and Gemperle eggs. On Christmas Eve, United Samaritans will deliver special holiday meals through its mobile food trucks. "For some of these families, these are the only fruits and vegetables they will have for the month," said Executive Director of the United Samaritans Foundation, Barbara Bawanan. "Since 1994, we have delivered over eight million meals. This year alone, we will deliver 400,000 hot and cold sack lunches." According to Bawanan, 50 million people in the U.S. don't know where their next meal is coming from. This equals one in four children. "In our August survey of people utilizing our mobile lunch program, 31 percent said these lunches were their only meal of the day," Bawanan said. "Gemperle Farms donates 450 dozen eggs per week. These egg donations are a vital part of our meal program. We are very grateful for the support of the Gemperle Family Farms." Gemperle Family Farms donated 24,000 eggs to support the Turlock Together Christmas Baskets. Turlock Together, a volunteer cooperation of local ministries, businesses, non-profits, schools, and service clubs, handed out two thousand 50-pound Christmas food baskets on December 20th. Each basket consisted of perishable and non-perishable goods such as Gemperle eggs, milk, tortillas, chicken, canned goods, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pasta. An additional 800 people will receive a hot Christmas dinner. All children under ten years old will receive a Christmas gift and picture with Santa at the Christmas dinner. For homebound individuals, Turlock Together will deliver hot Christmas meals. About United Samaritans Foundation Established in 1994, Ernie Gemperle, the patriarch of Gemperle Family Farms was one of the co-founders of United Samaritans Foundation. United Samaritans Foundation's mission is to deliver food to people in need in Stanislaus County, and to facilitate the provision of services to assist them in a transition to a better quality of life. They currently operate four mobile food service trucks from facilities in Turlock, Hughson, and Modesto, delivering nutritious lunches to nine Stanislaus communities five days per week. Volunteers help staff the food pantry, clothes closet and various other services. In Turlock the Foundation facility offers homeless services including a drop-in breakfast center, laundry, and shower facilities. Learn more at: http://www.unitedsamaritans.org/history.html. About Turlock Together Turlock Together is a voluntary cooperation of ministries, businesses, non-profits, schools, service clubs and community members working together to collect and distribute food and toys to families in need during the Christmas season. The program is run through the Salvation Army in Turlock. Learn more at http://www.turlocktogether.org/home.html. About Gemperle Family Farms Gemperle Farms produces all varieties of eggs including enriched colony barns and specialty eggs such as browns, organic, cage free, omega 3 and cage free fertile. All of our eggs are produced without hormones and antibiotics – the natural way that eggs should be produced. We believe in supplying eggs that consumers want to buy, so we produce eggs for a variety of consumer needs and budgets. Additionally, Gemperle Family Farms donates over 500,000 eggs each year to free lunch programs, donations and food banks with a portion designated for children's breakfast programs. For more recipes and egg information visit www.gemperle.com. Gemperle Family Farms, Susan Gemperle Abdo, susangemperleabdo@gmail.com gemperle farms eggs
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