Carando Partners With Mars Super Markets To Support The Muscular Dystrophy Association

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Carando, the artisans of Classic Italian Meats, has teamed up with Mars Super Markets and University of Maryland Men's Special Assistant to the Head Basketball Coach, Juan Dixon, to help bring awareness to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Baltimore, Md.

Dixon, alongside Carando Sales Director Angelo De Prato, led the presentation of a ticket to Camp Maria to Kourtney Rivers and Gina Clark of the MDA's Baltimore chapter. Fourteen-year-old Kourtney is already looking forward to her week-long trip to camp this coming June.

"We had the opportunity to present Kourtney with a ticket to attend the MDA's summer camp next June," said Dixon." Carando and Mars are doing amazing things. It's all about our younger community and the opportunity to give back and they are doing just that. This is something that Kourtney will remember for the rest of her life.

MDA summer camp has been a major initiative of Mars Super Markets for 18 years. Mars, and owners, the D'Anna family, are committed to supporting the camp through donations and volunteer hours. The camp offers children with neuromuscular diseases a weeklong summer camp experience away from home, complete with horseback riding, swimming, sports, a talent show and arts and crafts.

"When we learned about the long-standing relationship that Mars and the D'Anna family have with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the MDA summer camp program, it was an easy decision to make for this endeavor," said Dan Incaudo, General Manager, Carando. "It's an honor to work with partners like Mars Super Markets as we support organizations that make significant differences in our communities."

The donation was made as part of the Carando Cares program, an ongoing campaign established in 2013 to support organizations making a positive difference in local communities.

"Thank you, Carando and Mars, for giving Kourtney the opportunity to attend summer camp and giving our entire family tickets to hopefully see the Maryland Terps win later this year," said Tom Rivers, father of Kourtney.

Dixon led the University of Maryland to its first NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 2002 while earning Most Outstanding Player honors. He was hired by his alma mater in 2013 as special assistant to the head coach.

For more information about Carando and Carando Cares, please visit www.carando.com or www.Facebook.com/CarandoMeats.

About Carando
All of our classic Italian meats stay true to the traditional recipes that our founder, Pietro Carando, brought to America from his boyhood home in Torino, Italy. One taste is all it takes to discover the authentic Italian difference of Carando. For more information, visit www.carando.com.

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®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan's Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. 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.

Source: Smithfield Foods