As families across the U.S. prepare to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, one in seven Americans will turn to the country's vast system of food banks for their holiday meal. Uniting in the fight against food insecurity, Smithfield and country music star Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town have joined forces to help alleviate the high demand for protein and raise awareness for those in need.

Consumers can contribute to the donation by sharing their good deeds this holiday season using the hashtag #LendAHam. Each time an act of goodwill along with the hashtag is posted on Twitter or on the Smithfield Facebook page (Facebook.com/CookingwithSmithfield) between November 17th and December 24th, Smithfield will donate one serving of protein to a local food bank, up to one million servings.

"I'm excited to join Smithfield in their effort to lend a ham to those in need this season," said Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman. "Since I was a little girl, Smithfield has always been a part of my family's holiday tradition, and to now have the opportunity to help provide that to someone in need means the world to me."

Lend A Ham is a part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes initiative, which, since its inception nearly seven years ago, has resulted in a total donation of more than 26 million servings of protein to food banks from Anchorage, Alaska to Miami, Fla.

"We have been passionate and committed to helping food insecure homes through the Helping Hungry Homes initiative since 2008," said Will Brunt, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Smithfield. "We're proud to strengthen this program through Lend A Ham and a partnership with Kimberly Schlapman and hope that our efforts inspire more people to give back this season and all year round."

Smithfield Spiral Sliced Hams have been at the center of the holiday table for generations. They are now available in a number of festive glazes, including Hickory Smoked, Caramel Apple, Pecan Praline, Crunchy Glaze, and Brown Sugar Bacon.

Smithfield has a long history of stocking food banks, supporting after-school nutrition programs and providing food relief in the wake of natural disasters. To learn more about the initiatives, please visit www.Smithfield.com.

Source: Smithfield Foods