RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday, Smithfield’s Helping Hungry Homes campaign visited Richmond for the 26 th stop on the 2016 nationwide hunger-relief tour to donate more than 25,000 pounds of protein to FeedMore’s Central Virginia Food Bank. The considerable donation, in celebration of Richmond race weekend, will provide more than 100,000 servings to help FeedMore continue to provide meals to the Central Virginia community, where one in seven people face hunger.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...eba80bf28f
Smithfield partnered with Kroger, Richmond International Raceway (RIR), and Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) to present the donation during an event at the Staples Mill Kroger, 9000 Staples Mill Road, Henrico, Va. Speakers discussed the importance of donations like these in Central Virginia, where FeedMore distributes more than 18.6 million meals each year.
No. 43 driver Aric Almirola , who has partnered with the Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes program to donate thousands of pounds of protein over recent years, was present to discuss the importance of these donations and to raise awareness about the necessity of providing assistance to our neighbors in need.
Helping Hungry Homes, now in its eighth year, is Smithfield’s coast-to-coast tour to help Americans become more food secure. This year, the program will help fight hunger through more than 35 large-scale protein donations to food banks across the United States totaling more than 3.5 million servings. To date, Helping Hungry Homes has provided more than 40 million servings of protein to food banks across America.
“We are incredibly thankful for the continued support of our community partners like Smithfield,” said Tim McDermott, chief development officer at FeedMore. “As we work with our network of nearly 300 partner agencies to distribute nutritious food for wholesome meals to our neighbors who struggle with hunger, protein is one of the key components. Smithfield's generous 25,000-pound donation of their products allows us to positively impact our nearly 200,000 neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet and provide healthy meals for their families. We are so very grateful that we can include excellent quality Smithfield foods to support the nutritional needs of our recipients.”
"We are thrilled to be a part of the Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes event," said Anne Jenkins, customer communications manager at Kroger Mid-Atlantic. “We are always looking for additional ways that we can positively impact the community, and this event provides a great opportunity to give back to FeedMore in a meaningful way."
“At RIR, we are focused on giving back to the community that has supported us for years. That’s why it’s such an honor to be part of this Helping Hungry Homes food donation,” said Dennis Bickmeier, president of Richmond International Raceway. “This donation is a product of three outstanding organizations coming together to help feed people within the local area. I’m very thankful that RIR has the opportunity to partner with Smithfield and Kroger to help do some good in Richmond.”
“Smithfield is thrilled to partner with Kroger, RIR, and RPM to present this donation to FeedMore through our Helping Hungry Homes program,” said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. “We’re proud to support the food bank with this donation of wholesome protein, which will help more than 100,000 of our neighbors suffering from hunger in Central Virginia.”
“Richard Petty Motorsports is honored to participate in this donation leading up to Richmond race weekend,” said Almirola. “So many race fans are loyal customers of Smithfield and shop at Kroger, so it’s great to see the two organizations partnering to give back to the communities that support them, and our race team, throughout the year.”
About Smithfield A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield's products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com , www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand , and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield . Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, and Berlinki®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com .
About Richard Petty Motorsports A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Aric Almirola and Brian Scott. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and the “Fresh From Florida” campaign. Scott will make his debut with the team and drive the Petty Family No. 44 Ford. Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, Twisted Tea and GoBowling.com will join Scott as he competes for Rookie of the Year in his first full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
About The Kroger Co. The Kroger Mid-Atlantic division operates 121 stores in the region, which includes North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. The Kroger Co., headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, health and wellness initiatives and local organizations in the communities it serves. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com .
About Richmond International Raceway Richmond International Raceway, known as America’s Premier Short Track, offers some great racing action and a commitment to the fan experience. One of the most popular facilities among drivers and fans in all of motorsports, Richmond International Raceway annually hosts two NASCAR Doubleheader weekends, featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, on a ¾-mile D-Shaped oval. The unique layout traditionally produces exciting side-by-side racing, yet drivers reach high enough speeds for a superspeedway feel. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit rir.com or call 866-455-7223.
About FeedMore FeedMore is Central Virginia’s core hunger-relief organization comprised of programs like the Central Virginia Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, the Mobile Pantry and Kids Cafe. Spanning nearly one-third of the state, across 34 counties and cities, FeedMore serves nearly 200,000 individuals in the region’s most vulnerable populations – children, families and seniors. Working together to efficiently and effectively fight hunger, FeedMore’s multi-tiered approach and comprehensive programs are dedicated to nourishing the community while empowering lives. For additional information, please visit FeedMore.org , find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter .
Media Contacts: Hunter PR for Smithfield Elisabeth Garcia (212) 679-6600 egarcia@hunterpr.com Richard Petty Motorsports Heather Lumpp (847) 302-5509 hlumpp@rpm43.com Kroger Lindsay Grant (804) 380-5038 lgrant@hodgespart.com FeedMore Jessica Howe (804) 237-8604 jhowe@FeedMore.org Richmond International Raceway Courtney Brockwell (804) 228-7507 cbrockwell@rir.com
