Smithfield Foods, in partnership with Kroger, donated nearly 30,000 pounds of protein to Feed More to fight food insecurity in Central Virginia.

The donation to Feed More, which works within the community and schools to provide targeted hunger relief programs, will provide more than 116,000 servings of protein to help children, students and individuals living in food deserts.

“Smithfield has a longstanding commitment to fighting hunger and nutritional insecurity,” said Jonathan Toms, senior community development manager for Smithfield Foods. “As a Virginia company for nearly 90 years, we’re proud to partner with Kroger to support Feed More in its mission to provide nourishment and hope to our neighbors in need in Central Virginia.”

“Kroger is proud to partner with Smithfield and Feed More to address food insecurity in our communities,” said James Menees, corporate affairs manager for Kroger Mid-Atlantic. “Food insecure families may not know where their next meal is coming from, and part of our mission at Kroger is to feed the human spirit.”

“We're humbled by Smithfield and Kroger’s steadfast commitment to our mission and the neighbors we serve,” said Aaron McClung, chief development officer at Feed More. “Summer is a challenging time for families with school-aged children, and without access to school meals, the thousands of kids and their families who rely on these programs often look to food assistance from Feed More and our partners. The impact of inflation over the last year has made this summer even more difficult for families. Because of Smithfield and Kroger’s generous support, we’re able to provide food assistance to these neighbors in their time of need.”

Helping Hungry Homes, Smithfield’s signature hunger relief program, has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Poland, Romania and Mexico, since 2008. In 2022, the company donated nearly 25 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. To reflect its continued commitment to fighting food insecurity, Smithfield has pledged to donate 200 million servings of protein by 2025.

Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative reflects the company’s commitment to build a more resilient, equitable and sustainable food system that improves access to affordable, fresh food for everyone — for generations to come. Kroger donated 94 million pounds of surplus food to Feeding America’s network of food banks and agency partners in 2021 and is committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025.

Source: Smithfield Foods Inc.