SALISBURY, MARYLAND — Mid-Shore readers who follow the Orioles’ Single-A club in Salisbury have a community sports note that is not another Kannapolis box score: the Delmarva Shorebirds said the 2026 Perdue Strike Out Hunger Challenge set a new high for meal equivalents delivered to regional food banks.

An official Shorebirds release on milb.com dated Sept. 2, 2026, said the challenge generated a record 1,524,407 meal equivalents for food banks across the Delmarva Peninsula, marking 15 years of the Perdue Farms partnership with the club and regional food-bank partners. The same note said the partnership has generated more than 5.3 million meals for neighbors facing food insecurity since 2011, and that this year’s total surpassed 2025 by more than 29,000 meal equivalents. The release said the challenge concludes as Hunger Action Month begins.

To launch the season challenge, Perdue Farms provided a $15,000 challenge grant through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation benefiting the Maryland Food Bank, the Food Bank of Delaware, and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Each food bank worked to generate the equivalent of at least 10,000 meals through donations, contributions, and volunteer hours to earn a share of the grant. Perdue Farms also contributed $10 for every strikeout by a Shorebirds pitcher during the season, up to $5,000.

Jimmy Sweet, assistant general manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds, said on the record in the club release: “The Strike Out Hunger Campaign holds a special place in my heart because year after year, we see this community step up to help its neighbors. Fifteen years of support says a lot about the people who call the Eastern Shore home, and we’re proud to continue this tradition alongside Perdue and our regional food bank partners.” Christopher Tan, president and CEO of Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, said: “At the heart of the Strike Out Hunger Challenge are the children, families and seniors across the Delmarva Peninsula who need help putting food on the table. Perdue’s generosity helps ensure that our neighbors throughout Delaware, Maryland and Virginia have access to nutritious food when they need it most.” Bill See, senior manager of community relations for Perdue Farms, said: “Fifteen years into this partnership, we continue to be inspired by the way the Delmarva community shows up for its neighbors. Reaching a record 1.5 million meal equivalents is something we’re proud of, but what matters most is what those meals mean for children, families and seniors in our communities.”