Nearly 1,000 families in need have received beef from Washington cattle ranchers this month during Beef Counts giveaways in Toppenish, Yakima and Ellensburg.

In three days, the Beef Counts program served 31,200 meals and provided 1,950 pounds of ground beef to 975 families. The beef was donated by Agri Beef Co.

Along with the beef, Second Harvest December Mobile Market boxes included produce and other perishable groceries.

The beef is packaged and shipped directly from Agri Beef’s processing plant in Toppenish.

“This specific distribution week is something that is dear to our hearts,” Melissa Delgadillo of Agri Beef Co. said in a press release. “It provides good quality protein for people during the holiday season.”

“Even when times are tough, we’re blessed to have beef in our freezers, so Beef Counts gives us the chance to feed hungry people in our own communities,” said Ryan Stingley, president of the Kittitas County Cattlemen’s Association. “Getting beef out to folks through Second Harvest this December helped make people’s holidays a little brighter.”

The Kittitas County Cattlemen and Ellensburg community in December donated $3,350, in addition to the generosity of other beef community organizations such as Agri Beef Co., the Washington Cattle Feeders and many individual cattlemen and women across the state, according to the press release.

Funds donated to Beef Counts provide beef through Second Harvest’s Mobile Market’s free food distributions across Eastern Washington all year long.