MIAMI, Jan. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As millions of people prepare their football feasts for Sunday’s football game, one of the country’s largest food consumption holidays, 40 million Americans don’t know where their next meal will come from. Recognizing this, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is partnering with Southeastern Grocers (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, to donate more than 160,000 servings of protein to Feeding South Florida ahead of the big event. The donation marks the beginning of Smithfield’s 2020 Helping Hungry Homes® donation tour.

“Whether at home or in Miami for the Big Game, all eyes will be on what's happening in the stadium, but we can’t lose sight of our neighbors in need,” said Jonathan Toms, associate manager of charitable initiatives for Smithfield Foods. “Our goal with this donation is to ensure no one is forgotten in the fight against hunger even as the country ramps up for one of the biggest sporting events of the year.”

Helping Hungry Homes® is Smithfield’s signature hunger-relief initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure. Since the creation of the program, Smithfield has donated over 145 million servings of nutritious, high-quality protein to food banks, school nutrition programs, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across all 50 states.

“We are thrilled to partner with Smithfield, a company that has continuously provided support to communities across the country,” said Paco Vélez, President & CEO of Feeding South Florida. “Protein is a vital resource for the families we serve, especially during one of the most celebrated weekends of the year and a time of such abundance.”

Smithfield and SEG presented the donation to Feeding South Florida at an event at the food bank this morning, located just minutes from the stadium, where Kansas City and San Francisco will compete for the championship. Over the course of the year, Smithfield Foods will provide dozens of additional donations to communities across the country.

“Through our combined efforts with Smithfield, we will continue to fight hunger and address the critical need to feed America’s families,” said Jorge Cabo, South Florida regional vice president for Winn-Dixie. “We are especially thankful for the opportunity to team up with these likeminded organizations to work toward our common goal.”

For more information about Helping Hungry Homes® and a list of upcoming donation events, visit smithfieldfoods.com/helpinghungryhomes.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
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 Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S. SEG grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.bi-lo.com, www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.

About Feeding South Florida
Feeding South Florida® is a member of the Feeding America® network of food banks and the leading domestic hunger-relief organization serving Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. Providing support for 25 percent of the state’s food insecure population, its mission is to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education. Feeding South Florida distributes nearly 62 million pounds (51.6 million meals) of food annually, to more than 700,000 individuals through direct-service programs and a local network of approximately 300 nonprofit partner agencies. Visit feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954.518.1818.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d4b9806-886d-4b0e-a8e5-303fe99adfa4