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Town of Buckeye - Spring Celebration

I would like to thank you on behalf of the Town of Buckeye Community Services for Hickman’s Family Farms donation of the 400 boiled eggs for our Spring Celebration. Without Hickman’s Family Farms continued support of our events, the Community Services Department could not provide these programs for the Buckeye community families.

Sincerely;
Brian Guinn
Recreation Programmer
Special Events and Outdoor Programs
Town of Buckeye, Arizona
Office: 623-349-6354

Easter Bunny Delivers Over 100,000 Eggs to the Hawaii Foodbank!

The Hawaii Foodbank will receive over 100,000 eggs from Hickman’s Family Farms, a division of C&S Wholesale Grocers, Kapolei in time for Easter! Mr. Clint Hickman of Hickman’s Family Farms, Arizona will be on hand to present the eggs to the Hawaii Foodbank.

In Hawaii, the donated eggs will be distributed to Hawaii Foodbank member agencies, providing food pantries, feeding programs and soup kitchens across Oahu with nutritious protein for the people they feed. Foods high in protein are the most difficult to acquire and is the type of food highest in demand.

To celebrate this generous donation, the Hawaii Foodbank will host Easter egg decorating activities for about 20 students from Trinity Central Oahu Preschool, Mililani. The Easter Bunny will join them to take photos and pass out treats.

Egg Donation at Tucson Community Food Bank

Hickman's Family Farms Donates to Food Banks

Things started off on a hip-hop-ity note at St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance thanks to Hickman Family's Farms and their very generous egg donation!! Good friends Corey McClosky from local FOX 10 affiliate, Hickman's Funky Chicken and even the Easter Bunny came out to celebrate the United Egg Producers (UEP) partnership with Feeding America, the nation's food bank network, to help ensure those in need have something to eat for the Easter Holiday.

In Arizona the local UEP member Hickman's Family Farms, will allocate over 290,000 eggs to five different food banks including St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance. This marks the second year in a row United Egg Producers and Feeding America are teaming up to help ensure food banks throughout America are well stocked with nutrient-dense eggs. The nationwide partnership will help the 36 million people (12% of the population) who are at risk of hunger in the United States, including more than seven million families (9.8%) and more than 13 million children (18%) under the age of 18. The eggcredible donation is not only just in time of the Easter holiday but also crucial as food banks are struggling to keep up with the public's increased demand with the struggling economy.

Christina Calio
Business Development Officer
St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance

Click here - Fox10 News video clip.

Arizona farm makes egg-cellent donation
to Yuma food bank

April 1, 2009 - By Stephanie A. Wilken, Sun Staff Writer - YumaSun.com

photo by Jared Dort/The Sun

SHELLY BARBATO, events manager of the community food bank, places a sign on a pallet of eggs donated by Hickman's Family Farm Wednesday morning to be available for Easter. All in all, 27,000 eggs arrived, or 2,250 dozen.

The Yuma Community Food Bank hopes to make the Easter holiday a little brighter for area children after receiving 27,000 eggs from an Arizona farm.

Hickman's Family Farms donated the 2,250 dozen eggs to the food bank Wednesday. The gift is part of the farm's almost 700,000-egg donation to food banks across four states.

Shelly Barbato, events manager with Yuma Community Food Bank, said the donated eggs will go toward families and local nonprofit organizations for Easter.

Besides being food for families going through tough times, Barbato said, representatives with the food bank want the children to be able to participate in activities such as dyeing Easter eggs and egg hunts.

"It's really important to keep some sort of normalcy in their lives," Barbato said. "The kids really are the victims in every situation when it comes down to things like hunger."

Clint Hickman, vice president of sales for Hickman's Family Farms, said they'd like to give everyone the opportunity to have a dozen eggs in their refrigerator for Easter.

"We feel it's important because Easter egg coloring ... creates family time and togetherness. And over the last couple of years, the easy thing for parents to do is throw candy and gifts at Easter time.

"And we feel Easter is a time to spend with your family, not a time to load your kids up with chocolate."

Families interested in receiving eggs can visit the food bank during its normal food distribution hours Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The eggs are available two ways: one dozen for each emergency food box; and two dozen each for the harvest food box program, in which a family may buy a box of food valued at $40-$45 for $20.

The eggs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The donation also will give local nonprofit organizations an opportunity to help children participate in Easter activities.

"It allows us to share our donations with them so they can stretch their dollar further and make their parties that much better for the kids that are involved," Barbato said.

Nationally, the United Egg Producers, which Hickman's Family Farms is a part of, will donate 12 million eggs to food banks in the next two weeks.

Hickman said the farm sells a lot of eggs to Yuma, and the donation to the food bank is their gift to the community.

"Thanks for supporting our product and our family business," Hickman said.

Local nonprofits interested in receiving eggs for Easter activities may call Barbato at 928-343-1243, Ext. 18.

Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 928-539-6857.

2009 Hike for the Homeless

On Saturday, March 7th, 1200 hikers of all ages took to the hills of Estrella Park in support of St. Joseph the Worker. Hickman's continued its annual sponsorship of this event and provided breakfast burritos for all hike finishers. The 1200 hikers surpassed last year's record turnout of 750. Through registration fees and corporate sponsors, St. Joseph the Worker raised over $40,000 to help their program find jobs for Arizona's homeless population. With the current economic crisis, people who have never been unemployed or homeless are suddenly finding themselves in those situations.

Hickman's Family Farms has been a proud supporter of St. Joseph the Worker for the past two years. As an employer and as a member of Arizona's community for over 65 years, Hickman's knows the important role employment plays in any society. Losing one's job is one of the most traumatic events a person can experience. When it is followed by losing one's home, the result can be devastating. People lose hope and with the loss of hope breeds despair. St. Joseph the Worker through its worker development programs gives hope to the people who find themselves in this situation. Hope is what keeps people in the game. Thanks to all who helped make this hike the most successful ever.

Hickman's Egg Cartons
Feature Arizona Highways Magazine Images

Egg-straordinary Cartons Promote Arizona Tourism, Award Consumer Prizes and Benefit St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance

PHOENIX - Feb. 26, 2009 - Building on a combined history of nearly 150 years in Arizona, award-winning Arizona Highways magazine and Hickman's Family Farms, Arizona's only commercial egg supplier, joined forces in an "egg-ceptional" partnership celebrating Hickman's Family Farms 65th anniversary.

Beginning March 1, scenic images from Arizona Highways will be featured on the top of Hickman's egg cartons with a $19 discounted magazine subscription offer printed inside of the carton. For each Arizona Highways subscription sold through this promotion, Hickman's will donate $19 worth of eggs to St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance. Anyone who subscribes to Arizona Highways via this "egg-citing" promotion will be entered to win fun prizes including a weekend getaway with Grand Canyon Railway.

Throughout the year, four different water-themed images will be featured on the cartons corresponding with the four seasons. Beginning with spring, each image will run for approximately three months. Hickman's eggs can be found in your neighborhood grocery stores statewide. For more information on the promotion and the consumer prizes visit www.arizonahighways.com or www.hickmanseggs.com.

"As we celebrate 65 years of local family farming, we couldn't think of a better organization in Arizona to partner with," said Clint Hickman, vice president of sales for Hickman's Family Farms. "Arizona Highways magazine is such a great icon of our hometown that everyone should enjoy reading with their morning eggs."

"This is a unique partnership between two 'home grown' organizations in the state," said Win Holden, publisher of Arizona Highways. "We're pleased to be partnering with a local company to highlight our history and commitments to the community."

"This partnership will result in eggs, an excellent source of protein, getting to the hungry in our community," said Terry Shannon, President and CEO of St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance. "The support from Hickman's and from Arizona Highways, both generous leaders in our community, is a note-worthy example of neighbors helping neighbors in these tough times."

About Arizona Highways
Arizona Highways magazine's award-winning photography and travel journalism and its steadfast commitment to discovering the state's treasures has brought the beauty and splendor of Arizona to visitors and natives alike for more than 80 years. Helping to drive tourism to and through the state, Arizona Highways has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 120 countries, as well as a publishing imprint, Arizona Highways Books, and physical and online retail stores. In addition, the magazine is now available in digital format at http://www.arizonahighways.com/digital.html. Digital format allows readers to quickly search for additional information, access archived issues and share articles with family and friends. Newsstand price for Arizona Highways is $3.99 US / $4.99 Canada. Subscriptions are $24 per year. More information at: www.arizonahighways.com.

About Hickman's Family Farms
Hickman's Family Farms has been family-owned and operated in Arizona since 1944. Beginning with a flock of less than 500 in Grandma Hickman's back yard, by 1993 Hickman's was left standing as the only Arizona egg producer with chickens and a USDA-inspected processing plant. Hickman's currently operates three production facilities in Arizona, which house a combined total of close to five million chickens. Despite its massive growth, Hickman's Family Farms remains committed to supplying fresh product at competitive prices. For more information visit: www.hickmanseggs.com.

Contact: Renee Moore, Barclay Communications - 602-346-2596, reneem@barclaycomm.com

Fun for the Family March 7 at Arizona Agriculture Day

Fun family events will make the 29th annual Arizona Agriculture Day event a family must this spring. Held on March 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Superstition Farm, 3440 S. Hawes Road in Mesa, Arizona Agriculture Day is committed to increasing public awareness about Arizona agriculture.

With the theme "Food You Eat, From People You Trust," family activities will include animal displays, educational exhibits, kids crafts, hayrides and more. Other fun events will include a petting zoo, horses and cows, agriculture equipment displays, fun with fruits and veggies activity, making a cotton baby, tractor displays, and gardening tips.

Lunch is just a $1.00, which represents the farmer's and rancher's share of the actual lunch cost. From 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., enjoy a beef or pork sandwich, coleslaw, beans, a hard boiled egg, vegetables, a honey stick, fruit, and milk.

Admission is $2.00 or 3 cans of food for the local food bank. Kids ages 12 and under are free.

For more information visit www.azagday.com or call 480-635-3609.

New Hall of Famers

On Saturday February 21st, Bill and Gertie Hickman were inducted into the Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame. Surrounded by their family and many friends, they accepted their plaque presented by the person who so proudly nominated them, Jim Manos. As Jim put it, how could there be an Arizona Farmers Hall of Fame without the Hickman's. Their name has been synonymous with egg production in Arizona for the last 65 years. They have seen their company grow from a tiny back porch operation to the current, high tech, multi-ranch operation it is today. And they did so without ever losing the family element. Despite having over 200 employees, they are very much still a "Family Farm". Bill and Gertie so richly deserve this honor for all they have done for the employees, customers and the communities they serve. Congratulations!

(For the text of Jim Manos' nomination speech, click here)

Breakfast for Lunch

at Grand Valley Catholic Outreach's Soup Kitchen, December 3, 2008

Breakfast for Dinner

at St. Vincent de Paul, December 11, 2008

Hickman's at St. Mary's Food Bank

Howard Helmer (below) taught his record setting omelet making technique to the Community Kitchen participants at St. Mary's Food Bank. Our new chicken mascot wowed everybody with his dapper attire and his culinary skills.

Laura Bush is presented with Hickman sponsored Easter egg