Chicken of the Sea is dedicated to giving back to the community and helping those in need — from educating people about the health benefits of seafood to partnering with Feeding America to provide seafood to America’s hungry. That’s why when a 10-foot high tsunami hit American Samoa on Sept. 29 — a U.S. territory approximately 2,500 miles from Honolulu —the company immediately began aiding relief efforts in the area.

The seafood company, which has housed a packing plant in American Samoa and now has a cold storage facility there, partnered with San Leandro-based MedShare to help provide emergency relief aid, which included the sponsorship of shipment of nearly $90,000 worth of needed medical supplies to the people of American Samoa. The supplies consisted of sutures, oxygen tubing and masks, and orthopedic and surgical supplies, and were shipped to the island Oct. 3. Chicken of the Sea — whose relationship with American Samoa began in 1954 when the company opened a cannery on the island — also provided the use of its refrigerated facilities to other companies in the area whose plants were damaged. Other efforts have included: providing generators for electricity use, assisting with clean-up on the island and providing a donation of canned and pouch tuna products. Chicken of the Sea’s efforts to date in American Samoa total near $300,000 in product and monetary donations, as well 4,000 hours of volunteer time.

This isn’t the first time Chicken of the Sea has helped in disaster relief efforts. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Chicken of the Sea donated 100,000 cans of seafood to Feeding America (formerly known as America’s Second Harvest). Chicken of the Sea continued a partnership with the hunger organization during last year’s Mermaid Jingle Jam contest, providing more than $150,000 worth of healthful seafood to the three Feeding America food banks affiliated with the contest’s winners. John Sawyer, Chicken of the Sea’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, also sits on the board of the local Feeding America food bank in San Diego and the company continues to provide donations to the organization as needed.

If you’re interested in learning more about Chicken of the Sea’s past charitable involvement, please check out our Mermaid News. For more information on how you can help the people of American Samoa, please visit the Red Cross Web site.