KANSAS CITY, Mo. – May 8, 2018 – Smithfield Foods, Inc. donated nearly 40,000 pounds of protein to Harvesters—The Community Food Network as part of the company’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® tour. Now in its 10th year, Helping Hungry Homes® is Smithfield’s signature hunger-relief initiative focused on helping Americans become more food secure. The donation, equivalent to more than 159,000 servings, will help families fight hunger in the Kansas City metro area.
 
“We are thankful for Smithfield and this substantial donation of protein—a wholesome food item that is not easily accessible to those in need who we serve,” said Valerie Nicholson-Watson, president and CEO of Harvesters. “Our mission is to feed hungry people today and work to end hunger tomorrow—a common commitment that we share and uphold with Smithfield that is supported through this donation.”
 
Smithfield Foods’ donation aligns with its commitment to support the communities where its employees live and work. Smithfield employs more than 3,100 individuals across Missouri, including more than 1,000 community members in Kansas City. This significant donation will provide protein to more than 353,000 individuals who face hunger in Harvester’s service area, which includes 26 counties of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas.
 
This is the 20th large-scale protein donation made by Smithfield to food banks across the country during the company’s 2018 Helping Hungry Homes® tour. Since the program’s inception in 2008, Smithfield has provided more than 100 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs nationwide.
 
“At Smithfield, we recognize our role as a food company to feed people, especially those in need,” said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. “We have operations and employees across the state of Missouri, so this donation is near to our heart. While we take pride in providing hunger relief nationwide, it is always special when we can support our neighbors in the communities we call home.”
 
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 Harvesters—The Community Food Network
Harvesters is a regional food bank and was Feeding America's 2011 Food Bank of the Year. Serving a 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas, Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 620 not-for-profit agencies including emergency food pantries, community kitchens, shelters and others. Agencies in Harvesters' network provide food assistance to as many as 141,500 different people each month. Harvesters, which was founded in 1979, is a certified member of Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, serving all 50 states. For more information, visit www.harvesters.org.
 
 
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