JACKSON, Miss., Feb. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc. joined forces with Food Depot—parent company, Potter and Sims Foods—to donate more than 33,000 pounds of protein to the Mississippi Food Network. Smithfield's contribution was part of the company's 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® donation tour. Now in the program's 10th year, Helping Hungry Homes® is Smithfield's signature hunger-relief initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure. The donation, equivalent to more than 135,000 servings, will help families fight hunger across the state of Mississippi.

"Each week, we serve thousands of Mississippians who struggle to secure a wholesome meal," said Charles H. Beady, Jr., CEO of the Mississippi Food Network. "Today's donation from Smithfield and Food Depot allows us to provide nutrient-rich protein, a vital element of a healthy meal, to many of our neighbors in need who might otherwise find it difficult to obtain it for themselves and their families."

Smithfield and Food Depot representatives presented the donation to the Mississippi Food Network at an event at the food bank this morning. Members of all three organizations discussed food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation, which will provide protein to much of the Mississippi Food Network's expansive service area, which includes more than 150,000 individuals across more than 55 counties in Mississippi who face hunger each day.

"Food Depot is honored to work with Smithfield and provide food assistance to those in need," said Marc Sims, supervisor for Potter and Sims Foods. "Today, we're helping provide thousands of servings of protein to those who need it the most."

This is the sixth large scale protein donation made by Smithfield to food banks across the country during its 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® tour. Since the program's inception in 2008, Smithfield has provided nearly 100 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs nationwide.

"At Smithfield, we can do more to end hunger when we partner with like-minded organizations," said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. "It is our hope that this donation will inspire others to support this cause and their local community."

For more information about Smithfield Foods' Helping Hungry Homes® initiative and a list of upcoming donation events, visit helpinghungryhomes.com.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 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®, Farmer John®, Kretschmar®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, Carando®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Healthy Ones®, Morliny®, Krakus® 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 Mississippi Food Network
Mississippi Food Network is a food bank headquartered in Jackson.  We are a Feeding America affiliate and serve 56 counties in the central part of Mississippi.  We accumulate, store and distribute food and household items to more than 430 member agencies in our service area.  Member agencies are either churches or 501c3 nonprofit agencies and are Emergency Food Pantries, Day Care Centers, Emergency Shelters, Group Homes, Soup Kitchens, Teen Centers, Alcohol and Drug Rehabs, Afterschool Programs, Homeless Shelters and Senior Citizen Programs.  We serve more than 150,000 people each month through our member agencies and distributed 21.4 million pounds of food in 2017.  To learn more about Mississippi Food Network, visit our website at www.msfoodnet.org, www.facebook.com/MSFoodNetwork @MSFoodNet.

About Potter and Sims Foods
Potter and Sims Foods is a Supermarket retailing company based in Kosciusko, MS. Founded in 1983 by Owners Roy Sims and Harrell Potter, Potter and Sims Foods has maintained a strong presence from the Mississippi delta to the Jackson metro area markets. Potter and Sims Foods is committed to supermarket retailing but also strives to become part of the fabric of the communities it serves, staying invested in the people and providing the highest quality supermarkets in these areas, as well as providing much needed job opportunities in the supermarket  industry. We look forward to serving you in one of our Food Depot, Sunflower, SuperValu or Sav A Lot locations soon. 

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f79ea7f5-1056-4716-ac35-588a9259ebea