Farmer John recently visited the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood to host a chef-led cooking class for the organization's members and presented a $15,000 donation to honor the chapter's commitment to helping local children. To further show their support for the chapter and the surrounding community, the brand will also be hosting a free movie night event at Poinsettia Recreation Center. All of these events are part of Farmer John's fourth annual California Commitment Tour — a food truck tour designed to give back to residents through food and communal experiences, family-friendly events, and meaningful donations to deserving organizations.

Led by local chef Danielle Duran Zecca, co-founder of Amiga Amore, families participated in the interactive cooking class and learned how to make Albondigas Sope, a Mexican-inspired meatball recipe featuring Farmer John Premium Mild Pork Sausage. The recipe leans into Duran Zecca's "MexItalian" cooking style, which combines the influences of her Mexican heritage with those of her Italian husband Alessandro Zecca. Danielle and Alessandro founded Amiga Amore, a casual-dining restaurant that melds the flavors of their two cultures, earlier this year. Located in Highland Park in California, the neighborhood where Danielle grew up, the restaurant's mission is simple: to create a neighborhood eatery and a second home in the community where guests can enjoy a meal cooked with love.

To kick off the cooking class, Farmer John presented the $15,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood in support of their work in the community. This contribution will aid the organization's commitment to addressing the literacy crisis that impacts predominately students of color from underserved communities and will help ensure that these kids gain the skills necessary to achieve lifelong success.

"As a California native, I am thrilled to work alongside Farmer John to help give back to the community through this fun and interactive experience for the members of the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood," said Chef Zecca. "It's an honor to contribute to the growth of these talented children while also igniting their passion for culinary arts. I loved teaching the group how to make my Albondigas Sope, especially using Farmer John Premium Mild Pork Sausage, because it has so much flavor. My hope is that they'll want to recreate it at home with their families."

"We're thankful for the opportunity to partner with Farmer John in providing our members with an educational and fun cooking class," said Mel Culpepper, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood. "Not only has the class helped bring our families together and build upon their skills in the kitchen, but the donation will go a long way in making an important impact for our members and staff. Thank you, Farmer John, for partnering with us on this year's California Commitment Tour."  

To further show its support, Farmer John is also hosting a free movie night event for the community on Saturday, Aug. 12, at Poinsettia Recreation Center. The event will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, and members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hollywood will be in attendance as the evening's special guests. Starting at 8:00 p.m., attendees will be able to enjoy a screening of "Moana" along with curated snacks from the food truck including:

• Deconstructed Pretzel Dog – sliced Farmer John Beef Frank served with soft pretzel bites and condiments for dipping
• Hot Dog – Farmer John Beef Frank served on a bun with a bag of chips
• Mini Nachos – tortilla chips topped with Farmer John Classic Polish Sausage and nacho cheese

"We're excited to partner with Chef Danielle and the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood as we celebrate year four of the Farmer John California Commitment Tour," said Clara Meschini, brand representative for Farmer John at Smithfield Foods. "Farmer John recognizes the importance of traditional, face-to-face activities like cooking and sharing a meal, and we hope this cooking class, our donation, and the upcoming movie night gives this community even more opportunities to engage in fun, memorable moments of connection this summer and beyond."

Farmer John launched year four of its California Commitment Tour in June, taking its food truck across the state to feed, serve and celebrate the community in support of its mission to help strengthen families in California. Throughout the tour, Farmer John is partnering with local chapters of the Boys and Girls Clubs to champion the work they are doing in the community and provide memorable experiences and more than $50,000 in donations.

Farmer John fans are invited to recreate Danielle Duran Zecca's Albondigas Sope recipe at home and share their masterpieces on social media using the hashtags #CommittedToCalifornia, #SoFarmerJohn and #SoCalifornia. For more information and to see where the Farmer John California Commitment Tour goes next, follow Farmer John on Facebook at @FarmerJohn, Instagram at @FarmerJohnLA, or Twitter at @FarmerJohnLA, and visit www.farmerjohn.com. Farmer John is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

Source: Smithfield Foods Inc.