Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick joins Perdue Farms, Inc. for their annual school supply giveaway

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Students have finally returned to the classroom in Houston County, but the back to school shopping and giveaways are not over just yet.

In Perry, Perdue Farms, Inc. hosted its annual school supply giveaway for associates’ families at its Cook Plant.

Perdue staff, joined by Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick handed out backpacks full of supplies.

“A lot of individuals who work at Perdue live in Warner Robins, so our constituents work here,” said Mayor Patrick. “So I like to come and connect with people that live in our city and I appreciate the leadership team here doing an amazing job. The impact that Perdue makes in our entire region is phenomenal. So to be a part of touching the community here really does mean something to me.”

Chris Bostic, Director of Operations for Perdue, says the giveaway originally started with a few supervisors and plant managers who saw a need.

“They actually went and used their own money, paid out of their own pocket to kind of go around and find people who really needed it and personally purchase, you know, school supplies and book bags,” said Bostic. “So, the next year we’re like, let’s just do it for everybody.”

“For me, it’s all about the associates,” said Jason Little, Human Resources Complex Manager for Perdue Farms, Inc. “One thing that we have a passion for, they work hard. So we want to show the appreciation back and this is just one of the tokens. One big thing is every first Friday for them. We have an event for them. We have cookouts, they go on their break and we feed them. It’s just to show the true hard core passion that we care about our associates. It means a lot to us what they do. So we’re just returning it back, so we truly enjoy it.”

(Photo Credit: Godfrey Hall/41NBC)

Perdue Farms, Inc. is located at 250 Georgia Highway 247 Spur, Perry, Georgia.