Perdue Farms, through the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, has presented a $10,000 grant to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to mark its eighth year of support for the Project Clean Stream environmental stewardship initiative.

The grant will help fund the annual Bay watershed stream and shoreline clean-up effort, and enable the Alliance to expand the volunteer effort across Bay watershed states.

“At Perdue, we see the opportunity to invest in the success of a program like Project Clean Stream as mutually beneficial,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation.

“We are supporting the efforts of a wonderful organization, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and at the same time, sponsoring a program in which the leadership of our organization and our associates enjoy participating,” she said.

“It really is a win-win to be a part of such a productive and meaningful event that helps make strides toward a cleaner Bay and waterway system – something that is very important to our company and our associates.”

As Al Todd, executive director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, explained: “The Alliance is committed to working with all who have a passion for improving the environment, and Perdue has been one of our long-standing partners in Project Clean Stream. Perdue has adopted the program companywide and has more than 1,000 associates participating each year.

“We appreciate Perdue’s support for Project Clean Stream and the Alliance’s mission to protect the lands, rivers and stream of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

Perdue Farms launched its Project Clean Stream volunteer initiative in 2008 in Salisbury, where 30 associates removed more than 2,000 pounds of debris from two locations.

“One of our first sites was Mitchell Pond located near our processing plant, and associates removed 1,700 pounds of trash and debris from its shorelines,” said Jeff Smith, director of Corporate Environmental Services. “Thanks to their commitment through the years, we’re seeing a significantly reduced amount of trash at that site.”

Perdue expanded the Project Clean Stream concept across the company in 2011 to engage associates in similar cleanup efforts in their communities. Last year, associates at 52 sites in 11 states harvested nearly 75,000 pounds of trash from streams, ditches, roadways and parks.

“Project Clean Stream is a great way to get employees, neighbors and families connected with their local streams,” said Joanna Freeman, program director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

“Their efforts have a lasting environmental impact because they remain committed to keeping their neighborhood streams clean and understand the positive results their efforts have on the critical restoration of the health of the Chesapeake Bay.”