Smithfield Foods’ U.S. employees collected more than 25,000 pounds of food to support hunger relief during Hunger Action Month, Feeding America’s annual nationwide campaign to inspire conversation and drive passion for the issue of hunger. The equivalent of more than 21,000 meals, these donations will support food banks and hunger relief programs in Smithfield’s local communities across the Unites States. 

“Feeding the hungry is at the core of our philanthropic efforts,” said Jonathan Toms, senior community development manager for Smithfield Foods. “Each year, our Smithfield team members demonstrate through our Hunger Action Month food drive that they believe in our mission to fight hunger and food insecurity. It is remarkable to see how passionately they give back to support the communities we call home.”

“We are incredibly thankful to Smithfield and their team members for their generous contributions, both during Hunger Action Month and throughout the year,” said Joe Weeden, senior director, commodity foods for Feeding America. “Our efforts to feed our neighbors facing food insecurity would not be possible without our partners like Smithfield. These donations of nonperishable food items, along with Smithfield’s frequent donations of protein, go a long way in helping the Feeding America network address hunger across the country.”

Feeding America estimates approximately one in six people turned to charitable food assistance for additional support in 2022. A recent Feeding America survey found that 80% of network food banks reported either increased or steady demand for emergency food services in June 2023. 

Smithfield supports Feeding America’s network of food banks throughout the year with its signature hunger-relief initiative program, Helping Hungry Homes. Since 2008, the program has provided hundreds of millions of protein servings to fight hunger in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Poland, Romania and Mexico. In 2022, Smithfield donated nearly 25 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. and has pledged to donate 200 million servings of protein by 2025.

Source: Smithfield Foods Inc.