Medical Mutual of Ohio and Smart Business honored AdvancePierre Foods with the 2012 Pillar Award for Community Service - Rising Star. The award was given to the company for its charitable work in the Cincinnati community and throughout the U.S., which included AdvancePierre Foods' inaugural Volunteer Day in August 2011.

"We are proud that our charitable efforts have benefited thousands of children and families across the country," said Bill Toler, CEO of AdvancePierre Foods. "Giving back to the communities where our associates live, work and raise their families is an important part of our corporate culture and we are committed to continuing our efforts to make a meaningful impact on the communities we serve."

The award was presented at a dinner and ceremony that took place at the Duke Energy Center Downtown. AdvancePierre Foods was recognized for its Volunteer Day, which consisted of 11 projects in nine communities throughout the country. The volunteer activities, held in conjunction with food banks and community organizations near AdvancePierre Foods' facilities, included sorting food, packing school backpacks for the upcoming school year, sprucing up Kids Cafés, assisting with mobile food pantry programs and summer feeding for families and children, and conducting outdoor beautification projects.

In addition to the hundreds of hours that AdvancePierre Foods' employees from Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina contributed on Volunteer Day, the company also donated thousands of pounds of AdvancePierre Foods products, including 8,000 pounds of food to feed families and children in Cincinnati.

"We are honored to be recognized for our efforts on Volunteer Day and throughout the year," Toler continued. "On behalf of the more than 4,500 associates at our facilities nation-wide, we thank Medical Mutual of Ohio and Smart Business for this award and we look forward to continuing to support our communities for years to come."

Source: AdvancePierre Foods