Try to imagine 100 logs of bologna.
That’s 350 pounds of the sandwich meat characterized by its smooth, undifferentiated texture, heavy salting, and unidentifiable blend of seasonings (hint: myrtle berries, of all things). It’s a food we tend to associate with childhood lunches, but it’s a good source of calories and protein, with less fat than many kinds of sausage.
On Wednesday, December 6th, Doug Marrone, coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, received a gift of 100 logs of the sandwich meat from a beef industry representative. Marrone had mentioned in a recent interview that he likes it, so it wasn’t out of the blue, but the quantity was. That’s more than his own weight in sausage meat. So he decided to pass on the gift; he donated 95 of the 100 logs to Feeding Northeast Florida, a local pantry charity.
Protein is one of the least-donated categories at most soup kitchens (canned vegetables account for most donations). Many people associate soup kitchens with donation drives, which specifically ask for non-perishables because that makes it easy for volunteers to collect and transport donations. But soup kitchens and pantries always need perishables as well—meats, milk, and fresh produce being vital.
“This should be enough to feed about 300 people,” said Frank Castillo about Marrone’s donation. Castille is the current CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida, which serves eight counties around Dallas.
The gift originally came from Eric Mittenthal, the current president of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. It came in the form of a solid pallet of Boar’s Head brand beef bologna. By Thursday morning, it was available to nonprofits from the shelves of groceries at FNF.
If you would like to join coach Marrone in supporting Feeding Northeast Florida, they accept donations via their webpage. If you live in the Dallas, FL area, please also consider volunteering.