NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirk Herbstreit, ABC/ESPN College Football Analyst, Emmy-award winner and longtime Eckrich partner, attempted two football throws resulting in a $125,000 donation from Eckrich to Extra Yard for Teachers, the primary cause of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation.

Ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship between LSU and Clemson, crowds and teachers gathered at the Eckrich activation in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter to watch Herbstreit and Marty Smith attempt to win $1 million. Despite missing two throw attempts, Eckrich was honored to donate $100,000 to Extra Yard for Teachers. In addition to Herbstreit’s throw, teachers of the year from across the country made their own throw attempts resulting in an additional $25,000 donation from Eckrich to Extra Yard for Teachers for a total of $125,000.

“I’m thrilled to be able to support such a great cause,” Herbstreit said. “It feels great to be able to give back to the teachers who do so much in all of our communities. Eckrich is such a generous partner and I'm proud to continue partnering and working with them.”

Eckrich has partnered with Extra Yard for Teachers since 2018, and, with this throw, has now donated $1.1 million to the organization dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development.

“We’re really proud to be able to donate $125,000 to Extra Yard for Teachers,” said Elizabeth Di John, senior marketing director at Smithfield Foods. “Teachers are so instrumental and impactful in all of our communities, so to be able to support them in this way is extremely special to the Eckrich brand.”

"It has meant so much to us to work with a partner like Eckrich who believes in what the College Football Playoff Foundation is doing to uplift the teaching profession,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation. “With their support, we have been able to make a greater impact and have been able to give so many different teachers all across the country the recognition they deserve."

Eckrich is completing its fourth year as the official smoked sausage and deli meat sponsor of the College Football Playoff. As part of the partnership, the brand also launched the fourth year of its Road to the National Championship $1 Million Challenge sweepstakes in the summer of 2019, where 23 lucky fans won the opportunity to throw for $1 million at some of the biggest college football games of the year.

For more information, please visit www.Eckrich.com or follow @EckrichMeats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to one of the most recognized regional premium deli and meat brands on the market today. 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 or follow @EckrichMeats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield Foods
Headquartered in Smithfield, Va., since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 40,000 U.S. employees are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” and have made us one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including many industry firsts, such as our ambitious commitment to cut our carbon impact by 25 percent by 2025. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich®, and Nathan’s Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers 
The CFP Foundation is the community investment arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media. 

Media Relations:
Emily Hecht
Clover PR for Eckrich
emily@clover-pr.com
404 317 9841

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be2085ec-24d9-4381-8f30-2e1c89994f6f