SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP DONATES RECORD-BREAKING GIFT OF $1.45 MILLION TO FRIENDS OF CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
JACKSON, Miss. (January 12, 2021) – Today, the Sanderson Farms Championship presented a $1.45 million donation to Friends of Children’s Hospital, the fundraising arm for Batson Children’s Hospital, part of Children’s of Mississippi.
This year’s donation to Friends of Children’s Hospital will go towards completing the funding of the seven-story Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at Children’s of Mississippi, the state’s only children’s hospital.
Including 12 state-of-the-art surgical suites, 32 pediatric intensive care rooms, and 88 private neonatal intensive care rooms, the expansion more than doubled the square-footage of pediatric hospital space at UMMC. The Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower opened for patient care in November.
“We are truly grateful for the way our community, state leaders, sports icons, and celebrities came together like never before to support the 2020 Sanderson Farms Championship, and the Mississippi children who benefit from its proceeds,” said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., CEO and Chairman of the Board. “While we weren’t able to gather in person for this year’s event, I look forward to the day when we can stand side-by-side again in celebration of this hospital and the amazing work done here.”
In addition to the contribution to Friends, the Sanderson Farms Championship donated $250,000 to other deserving Mississippi charities, resulting in a total charitable impact of $1.7 million across the state.
“At this very moment, there are children upstairs in this remarkable Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower receiving life-saving treatment,” said Melanie Morgan, Chair for Friends of Children’s Hospital. “Every business and individual who supports the Sanderson Farms Championship and Century Club Charities can be proud of the impact their investment has made for current and future generations of children to be cared for in this magnificent facility.”
Since 2013, when Sanderson Farms, Inc. became the title sponsor of the event, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised over $11.5 million for Friends of Children’s Hospital and other Mississippi charities.
About the Sanderson Farms Championship
The Sanderson Farms Championship is an annual stop on the PGA TOUR hosted by Century Club Charities, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote the game of golf for the benefit of charity. The tournament’s primary beneficiary is Friends of Children’s Hospital. The tournament has been part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1968 and is now in its 11th year as a part of the FedExCup. Sanderson Farms (NASDAQ:SAFM), the nation’s third largest poultry producer based in Laurel, Miss., is the title sponsor.
About Sanderson Farms
Sanderson Farms, Inc., founded in 1947, is engaged in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. Employing more than 18,000 employees in operations spanning five states and 17 cities, Sanderson Farms is the third largest poultry producer in the United States. As a company, Sanderson Farms is committed to adopting a fresh approach in everything that we do, not only where products are concerned, but companywide, as well. Though the company has grown in size, it still adheres to the same hometown values of honesty, integrity and innovation that were established when the Sanderson family founded the company.
About Friends of Children’s Hospital
Supporting Mississippi’s only Children’s Hospital, Friends of Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit organization benefiting Batson Children’s Hospital, part of Children’s of Mississippi. Founded in 1989, Friends works to support and promote Mississippi’s only hospital designed and equipped specifically for the care and treatment of sick or injured children. Their goal is to raise money for state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and services for all pediatric patients by building a statewide base of community support. Voluntarism, fundraising events and awareness efforts make it possible for Friends to help Batson Children’s Hospital meet the EXTRAordinary needs of caring for its patients.
About Children’s of Mississippi
Children’s of Mississippi, part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, encompasses all of the pediatric services available at UMMC and at clinical sites throughout Mississippi. At the heart of these services is the state’s only hospital devoted exclusively to the care and treatment of sick and injured children. The Children’s of Mississippi network brings specialized clinical care for children to communities across the state, making it easier for families to get the treatment they need closer to home.
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