Smithfield Foods’ Helping Hungry Homes® Partners With Publix to Donate More Than 30,000 Pounds of Protein to Feeding South Florida

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla., Feb. 17, 2017 -- Today, Smithfield Foods’ Helping Hungry Homes^® initiative, a program focused on alleviating hunger and raising awareness of food insecurity across the country, joined forces with Publix Super Markets to donate more than 30,000 pounds of protein to Feeding South Florida. The donation, equivalent to more than 120,000 servings, will help alleviate hunger across South Florida where 25 percent of the state’s food-insecure population lives.

Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods, stands with Maria Brous, director of media and communications for Publix Super Markets and Paco Vélez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida. Today, Smithfield and Publix donated more than 30,000 pounds of protein to the food bank, which will serve about 120,000 people who face hunger in the South Florida area. Helping Hungry Homes® is Smithfield’s initiative focused on alleviating hunger across the country.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e511338a-3a5e-4dea-a345-915ee04f9645

“Each year, we are able to set the table for more than 780,000 of our neighbors who struggle to make ends meet,” said Paco Vélez, president and chief executive officer for Feeding South Florida. “Our work could not be possible without the support of our community and companies like Smithfield. We are grateful for this large-scale protein donation, which will help bring much-needed meals to countless local families.”

Smithfield and Publix representatives presented the donation to Feeding South Florida at the event this morning. During the event, members from all three organizations discussed the impact of food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation. In South Florida, one in seven adults face hunger, and one in five children go to bed hungry.

“At Publix, we understand hunger affects millions of people nationwide,” said Maria Brous, director of media and community relations for Publix Super Markets. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Smithfield, a company that shares our passion to fight hunger and food insecurity in local communities.”

Smithfield’s donation to Feeding South Florida was a part of Helping Hungry Homes^® 2017 nationwide donation tour. Throughout the annual tour, Smithfield will provide large-scale protein donations to more than 50 food banks across the country. This donation adds to the more than 49 million servings of protein donated since the program’s inception.

“At Smithfield, we are passionate about supporting our communities in need,” said Dennis Pittman, senior director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods. “By providing donation to Feeding South Florida, thousands of our hungry neighbors will be able to provide their families with high-quality, nutritious protein.”

Following today’s event, Helping Hungry Homes^® will visit Orlando on Feb. 21 and Daytona Beach on Feb. 23. For more information about Helping Hungry Homes^® and a list of upcoming donation events, visit helpinghungryhomes.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 Feeding South Florida
Feeding South Florida’s 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® is the sole Feeding America® food bank in South Florida, and the leading domestic hunger-relief organization in the region, serving 25 percent of the state’s food insecure population. Through a local network of more than 400 nonprofit partner agencies, Feeding South Florida rescues 44 million pounds of food annually, serving 784,110 individuals in need of food assistance, 264,280 of whom are children, and 130,000 are older adults, throughout Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For more information, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954.518.1818.   

About Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Publix is privately owned and operated by its 189,500 employees, with 2015 sales of $32.4 billion. Currently Publix has 1,143 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. The company has been named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” for 19 consecutive years. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company’s website, corporate.publix.com.

Media Contacts:

Dalton Agency for Smithfield
Kaytee Allaben
(904) 226-9890
[email protected]

Feeding South Florida
Aimee Adler
(561) 302-6902
[email protected] 

Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Maria Brous
(863) 688-1188 x55339
[email protected]