LISLE, Ill., Oct. 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with Publix and Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, to honor a Miami, Fla. military family.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/21cedda3-5452-472b-a2b9-a00afe98d75b

Eckrich surprised the Basarab family at Publix to honor, thank and support the family for their service. As the family checked out at the register they were surprised with a gift of free groceries at Publix for one year, valued at of over $13,000, courtesy of Eckrich.  The family was also presented with tickets to the University of North Carolina at University of Miami football game on Saturday.

Joshua Basarab served five years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps. Basarab served during the Global War on Terror and completed one tour overseas. Basarab earned multiple medals and awards for his service.  Basarab and his wife Kathi have been married for 14 years. Together they have three children.

"This gift of groceries from Eckrich is such a surprise," said Joshua Basarab. "When we serve, we serve to help others and we never expect anything in return. It is a great feeling to know companies like Eckrich and Publix have not forgotten about us and are there to support military families."

The surprise is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront.  The Basarab family is supported by Operation Homefront's Hearts of Valor® program, a network of more than 3,000 caregivers which provides annual retreats, support groups and online communities.

Friday's event is also part of the Eckrich Road to the National Championship program where a military family will be honored at 13 of the biggest college football games of the year. Eckrich, now in its fifth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has already donated more than $2.5 million since 2012.

"Through events like today, Eckrich is proud to continue its mission to honor, thank, and support military families all across the country," said Jennifer Zmrhal, Senior Director, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. "It is an honor to have the Basarab family join us today and we are pleased to present them with free groceries for one year with our partner, Publix."
                                                          
For more information about Eckrich, please visit www.eckrich.com or follow Eckrich on Facebook and Twitter.

Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Eckrich 
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com.

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 Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront builds strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.  With more than 3,200 volunteers nationwide, Operation Homefront has provided assistance to tens of thousands of military families since its inception shortly after 9/11. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

Contacts:
Jeff Dennison
Breaking Limits for Eckrich
2137 South Blvd., Suite 200
Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Direct: 704-766-9061
Cell: 704-252-3356
E-Mail: jdennison@breakinglimits.net