Triumph Foods pledges $100,000 to St. Joseph School District

Local pork processor renews commitment to advancing education

St. JOSEPH, Mo. (Nov. 28, 2023) – Triumph Foods is continuing its support of advancing regional English language development and technical skills with a donation to and extension of its partnership with the St. Joseph School District (SJSD).

At a Nov. 27 SJSD Board of Education meeting, Triumph Foods presented the school district with a check for $100,000. The company will donate $25,000 each year over the next four years to the SJSD, extending Triumph’s support that has been in place since 2019.

“We are grateful for Triumph’s continued support for our English Language Learners,” said Dlo DuVall, SJSD Director of Special Programs. “Our partnership has had a lasting impact on the community and benefitted our students, and we are happy to continue this incredible progress with the generous donation from Triumph.”

The funds will be used this academic year to support multiple programs, including Newcomers and Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) students in middle and high school, as well as programs within Hillyard Technical Center. Funds will also support additional educational materials better suited for older English Language Learners.

There are 274 students in the district who received a score below 2.0 on the state English proficiency test, which indicates very low reading abilities in English. In addition, the number of SLIFE students has increased from 19 in 2021 to 36 in 2023. These students lack literacy skills in their first language as well as in English. Traditional decodable books that help students practice phonics skills are focused on interests of K-2 students, whereas many of SJSD’s newcomers, SLIFE or low-scoring readers are in middle school and high school.

“As one of the largest employers in St. Joseph, it is important that we help our community prosper,” said Josh Kleinlein, Chief Financial Officer at Triumph Foods. “Having lived in the community for so many years, I’m proud to see our company contribute to my hometown and make it a better place to live, work and receive an education.”

SJSD will meet annually with Triumph Foods to review student impact and discuss future needs throughout the district.

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About Triumph Foods

Triumph Foods is a leading processor of premium pork products worldwide. The farmer-owned company began operations in St. Joseph, Mo., in January 2006. With its state-of-the-art facility, Triumph employs over 2,400 workers and produces over 1.5 billion pounds of pork annually. For more information, visit triumphfoods.com.