Eckrich, Operation Homefront, and Smith’s Honor Draper, Utah Military Family

LISLE, Ill., Nov. 18, 2016 -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with Smith’s Food and Drug Stores and Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, to honor a Utah military family.

The Hatch Family is Surprised with One Year of Free Groceries at Smith’s, Courtesy of Eckrich

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0aae7c2d-9539-4509-a360-66ad05e4950e

To thank and support the Hatch family for their service and sacrifice, Eckrich surprised the family with a gift of free groceries for a year at Smith’s, valued at more than $13,000, as well as tickets to the University of Oregon and University of Utah football game on Saturday.

Sergeant Christopher Hatch served nine years in the Utah Army National Guard, during which he worked on weapons and the electrical system of the Apache Helicopter. Sergeant Hatch served during Operation Enduring Freedom, earning multiple medals and awards. Hatch and his wife, Heather, have three children together. Heather is a dedicated wife, caregiver, and mother, and is a member of Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor^® program.

"We are honored to receive this gift," said Heather Hatch. "This will help our family in so many ways.  We want to thank Eckrich, Smith's, and Operation Homefront for all their support."

This surprise is part of an ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank, and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront. The Hatch family is supported by Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor program, a network of more than 3,000 caregivers which provides annual retreats, support groups, and online communities.

Thursday’s event is also part of the Eckrich “Road to the National Championship” program, where a military family is honored at 13 of the biggest college football games of the year. Eckrich, now in its fifth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has already donated more than $2.5 million since 2012.

“It is an honor for Eckrich to thank and support our military families all across the country,” said Jennifer Zmrhal, Smithfield Foods senior director of marketing. “Eckrich realizes the importance of recognizing the whole family for their service and sacrifice to our country. It is a privilege to have the Hatch family join us today and we are pleased to present them with free groceries for one year.”

For more information about Eckrich, please visit www.eckrich.com or follow Eckrich on Facebook and Twitter.

Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. 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.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 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®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, 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 Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront builds strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. With more than 3,200 volunteers nationwide, Operation Homefront has provided assistance to tens of thousands of military families its inception shortly after 9/11. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront’s expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

Contact:
Jeff Dennison
Breaking Limits for Eckrich
2137 South Blvd., Suite 200
Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Direct: 704-766-9061
Cell: 704-252-3356
E-Mail: [email protected]