Million Dollar Gift Funds Direct Support to Tyson Families in Lexington
Immediate relief is on the way for Lexington families impacted by the Tyson plant closure, thanks to the Sherwood Foundation.
The Sherwood Foundation’s generous gift of 1.1 million dollars will allow Lutheran Family Services
(LFS) to begin delivering emergency help to qualifying residents. Starting Monday, March 9,
former Tyson employees who are still looking for work can register with LFS and receive a relief
check within days.
“Sherwood is truly honored to stand alongside LFS and the broader coalition of partners working
to care for the Lexington community during this challenging time,” says Liz Codena of the
Sherwood Foundation. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support this critical work.”
One million dollars of the grant goes to the LFS Tyson Relief Fund, plus an additional $100,000 to
support work at the LFS Lexington office that has been ongoing since Tyson’s announcement last
November. Codena specifically called out the leadership of LFS’ Handy Marin-Diaz as “impactful
and deeply responsive to the needs of the Lexington community.” To date, the LFS Lexington
team has provided support to well over 1,000 people needing guidance on finding jobs, filing
unemployment, learning new skills, or receiving mental health therapy.
“We know the people of Lexington love their community and don’t want to leave,” says Chris
Tonniges, President and CEO of LFS. “Our hope is that Sherwood’s support along with others will
allow us to help make that possible for them. We are deeply grateful for Sherwood’s amazing
generosity and their continued support of those in need.”
To be eligible, applicants start by making an appointment by using this link:
https://bit.ly/404zg5Y. They must have been laid off by Tyson in Lexington as part of the January
closing, and present their Tyson ID, a recent Tyson paystub, and a valid government ID. Once
registered, they can pick up their check later that week. This funding will be distributed as a onetime cash assistance payment. Each eligible individual will receive $500 to address their
immediate needs. More info at www.onelfs.org/lexington-emergency-fund.