DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of the upcoming race weekend in Daytona, Smithfield has partnered with Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 driver Aric Almirola, and the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) to donate 43,000 pounds of protein to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to help serve the Daytona community. This significant donation is part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes tour, the company's coast-to-coast effort to help families and individuals become more food secure.
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Almirola was the 2015 NASCAR Diversity Ignition Award recipient, an honor given annually to a minority or female NASCAR national series driver who makes contributions to the advancement of the sport both on and off-the-track. The Florida native has partnered with the Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes program to donate thousands of pounds of protein over recent years. He was present to discuss the importance of these donations from Smithfield and to raise awareness about the necessity of providing assistance to our neighbors in need. Almirola invited this year's NDIP class to help with the donation. Daytona-based NASCAR interns currently participating in the internship program helped load the protein donation onto trucks to benefit those in need around Central Florida.
Representatives from Smithfield and NASCAR, alongside Almirola, presented the donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida on Friday, July 3 at 12:00 p.m. at Daytona International Speedway, located at 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, Fla.
"We are very grateful to be receiving this generous donation of protein from Smithfield," said Sasha Hausman, Development Officer for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. "This donation will provide much-needed assistance to food-insecure people in six counties across Central Florida."
"The No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team is honored to participate in this donation with our sponsor, Smithfield," said Aric Almirola. "So many race fans are loyal customers of Smithfield, so it's great to see them giving back to communities that support them, and our race team, throughout the year."
"Smithfield has made more than 210 donations across the country under the company's Helping Hungry Homes program. Through this donation, we will provide more than 172,000 servings of much-needed protein to the central Florida area," said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. "We're proud to partner with Richard Petty Motorsports and NASCAR to make this substantial donation to honor our customers and race team fans while helping to alleviate hunger in the Daytona area."
Smithfield Foods has a long history of stocking food banks, supporting after-school nutrition programs and providing food relief in the wake of natural disasters. In January 2008, Smithfield established their Helping Hungry Homes® initiatives to help ensure that American families in need do not go hungry.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
SHFBCF is a member of Feeding America – the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. SHFBCF secures and distributes food and grocery products to approximately 550 local nonprofit feeding programs throughout Central Florida. Last year, with the help of food and financial donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed nearly 64 million pounds of grocery products – the equivalent of more than 53 million meals – to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women's shelters, senior centers, day care centers and Kids Cafes. Our community turns to Second Harvest's partner agencies more than 71,000 times per week. To learn more about SHFBCF, visit www.FeedHopeNow.org.
About NASCAR Diversity Internship Program:
Since its inception in 2000, the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program has served as one of the top and most competitive programs in the sports industry. The 10-week, paid internship exposes multicultural undergraduate and graduate students to employment opportunities within America's number one motorsport. NASCAR Diversity Interns contribute to the multi-faceted motorsports workforce; learn from leading NASCAR executives in weekly Lunch and Learn sessions; and network with professionals across the industry. Many participants secure full-time employment within NASCAR and the motorsports industry upon completion of program. Seventy percent of eligible interns from the 2014 class were hired full-time within the industry.
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP and Fresh From Florida, and Sam Hornish Jr. drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners Medallion Bank and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the "Ham Capital of the World." From hand-trimmed bacon to slow-smoked holiday hams, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, and fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the Unites States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield's products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan's Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.
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