SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP MAKES RECORD-BREAKING DONATION OF $1.3 MILLION TO MISSISSIPPI’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

JACKSON, Miss. (January 10, 2019) – Yesterday, the Sanderson Farms Championship, presented a $1.3 million donation to Friends of Children’s Hospital, the fundraising arm of Batson Children’s Hospital, part of Children’s of Mississippi.

Funds raised from the 2019 tournament will go toward the $100 million Children’s of Mississippi capital campaign, and the construction of a new seven-story, 340,000-square-foot pediatric tower that will be home to 88 private neonatal intensive care rooms, 12 additional operating rooms, 32 pediatric intensive care rooms, an imaging center designed for children, and a specialty clinic. The Children’s Heart Center will also call the new building home. This new pediatric tower will allow for updated space and additional room, and more convenience and comfort for families of sick children.

Sanderson Farms CEO and Chairman of the Board, Joe Sanderson Jr., who chairs the Campaign for Children’s of Mississippi with his wife, Kathy, said the funds raised through the state’s only PGA TOUR event will benefit families today, as well as in the future.

“We understand the impact the Sanderson Farms Championship has on the state of Mississippi and the 170,000 miracles that go through those hospital doors each year, and that is the very reason we work towards this day year-round. We have incredible doctors and nurses at Batson that deliver world-class pediatric care and achieve outcomes that rival the best children’s hospitals in the country, and because of this expansion, we will soon have a facility that matches their skills,” said Sanderson.

The record-breaking donation follows $1.25 million raised in 2018. Since Sanderson Farms became title sponsor in 2013, the Sanderson Farms Championship has had a total charitable impact of over $8.1 million.

“It’s really rewarding for the tournament to set another record for our annual donation to Friends and Children’s of Mississippi,” said Steve Jent, the tournament’s executive director. “I’m really excited for our staff, volunteers, sponsors, and, more importantly, the patients who we work so hard for.”

“We are so thankful for our partners and their generosity. We are honored and grateful to have, as supporters, people, like the Sandersons, who have such a heart for children and families,” said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.

In addition to the donation to Friends, the Sanderson Farms Championship donated $260,000 to more than 65 deserving charities across the state. The mission of this event has always been one of charity, which is why the tournament received “Best Charity Integration Award” by PGA TOUR for the second consecutive year. This award is given to the tournament that best incorporates charity into all facets of the event, and is significant because it means the Sanderson Farms Championship won over other well-known tournaments on the PGA TOUR.

The 2020 Sanderson Farms Championship will be held Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 at The Country Club of Jackson.

To view volunteer interviews from the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh62Ms58ly4DmibOs50Fb2T8qX_mPZOFA.

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 tenth 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 17,000 employees in operations spanning five states and 17 different 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 they do, not only where products are concerned, but company-wide, 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 in 1947.

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 Batson Children’s Hospital, 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.