SMITHFIELD, Va. — Smithfield Foods donated 30,000 pounds of protein, enough for 120,000 servings, to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to help fight food insecurity in Hampton Roads during the holidays.
The donation, which included hams, bacon, lunch meat and smoked sausage, is part of Smithfield’s Helping Hungry Homes® program.
“Providing for the needs of our food insecure neighbors is a 365-day-a-year job,” said Christopher Tan, President & CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. “Smithfield Foods has always been a generous partner and good neighbor in our mission to eliminate hunger. A large gift is especially meaningful at this time of year when families should be celebrating the holiday season, not worrying about finding food to put on their tables.”
“The holiday season can be stressful, and no one should have to worry about their next meal,” said Jonathan Toms, senior community development manager for Smithfield Foods. “We are committed to fighting food insecurity across the country, and we’re honored to be able to serve our local community in this meaningful way.”
Following the food donation event, Smithfield volunteers packed bags for the foodbank’s school BackPack Program, which distributes nutritious food to children at the end of the school day.
Smithfield has donated hundreds of millions of protein servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs in all 50 U.S. states since 2008 through its Helping Hungry Homes® program. In October, Smithfield delivered thousands of servings of food to victims of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, and has donated nearly 5 million pounds of protein in 2022. The company also contributed $2 million to Ukraine crisis relief efforts earlier this year.
More information on Smithfield’s ongoing work to strengthen and feed local communities is available here.
About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. With more than 60,000 jobs globally, we are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” and serve as one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30% across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. 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 Foodbank
For 40 years, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore has provided over 350 million meals to those in our community who face hunger. Through our programs, facilities, and large network of community partners, we “eliminate hunger” on a daily basis for many. However, we understand that our current work addresses hunger for individuals in the short term. It does not address the root causes which force individuals to return to a food pantry again and again. This understanding has led to the creation of a 3-year strategic plan aimed to move Hampton Roads closer to achieving the mission of eliminating hunger for those we serve—not only for the day, or for the week, but for a lifetime. For up-to-date information on the Foodbank, visit www.foodbankonline.org, Facebook, or Twitter.
