BETHEL HEIGHTS, Ark., Nov. 29, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This morning, Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes campaign provided more than 100,000 servings of protein to Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, just in time for the holiday season. This considerable donation is part of Smithfield's 300th Helping Hungry Homes donation milestone tour, during which the company will donate more than one million servings to food banks across the country through the end of the year. These donations are in addition to the 42 large-scale protein donations Smithfield has made across the United States in 2016.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/072034cf-3fb2-469a-ae8f-5d590e1be62d

Representatives from Smithfield presented the 25,000-pound protein donation, equivalent to 100,000 servings, to the food bank during an event at which speakers discussed the importance of donations like this in Northwest Arkansas, where one in four individuals struggle with hunger.

Throughout November and December, Smithfield is traveling from coast-to-coast to food banks in Florence, S.C., Charleston, S.C., Sacramento, Calif., Kansas City, Kan., Hampton, Va., Virginia Beach, Va., Baltimore, Md., and Tampa, Fla.

"We are so excited to receive this tremendous gift on behalf of the hunger challenged in Northwest Arkansas," said Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. "Every day, people are struggling to fill their plates. Protein is one of, if not our largest, needs. This gift will go a long, long way to addressing food insecurity. Now, more than ever, with the holidays approaching, this gift will help so many in need."

"Smithfield is proud to present this donation to help fight hunger in Northwest Arkansas and raise awareness of the great need in the area," said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. "We're honored to join partners like Northwest Arkansas Food Bank to help our neighbors, and through our Helping Hungry Homes tour, we're proud to continue to support dozens of food banks nationwide. We encourage others to get involved and volunteer time, money, or food to help their local food banks."

As part of its ongoing Helping Hungry Homes program, Smithfield has committed to donate more than seven million servings of protein to food banks nationwide in 2016 to help families and individuals suffering from hunger. To date, the program has provided more than 43 million servings of protein to food banks across America.

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 Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank has been serving NWA since 1988; the Food Bank has grown to serve citizens of Benton, Carroll, Madison & Washington counties. It is the mission of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank to "Nourish NWA Communities by Feeding Hungry People." The NWA Food Bank is able to meet the growing needs of residents through our network of agencies, local partners and community support. In 2015, the NWA Food Bank provided nearly 7,000,000 meals to those that face the issue of hunger.

Media Contacts:
Hunter PR for Smithfield
Elisabeth Garcia
(212) 679-6600
egarcia@hunterpr.com

Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
Kent Eikenberry
(479) 872-8774
Kent@nwafoodbank.org