LISLE, Ill., May 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with SHOP ‘n SAVE and Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, to honor a Saltsburg, Pa. military family on Saturday.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2547e00-3461-490f-9f80-ba652ba1d180
Eckrich hosted a special presentation to honor, thank and support the Morrison family during the SHOP ‘n SAVE Westmoreland County Airshow at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pa. The family was surprised with a gift of free groceries for one year at SHOP ‘n SAVE, courtesy of Eckrich.
As part of the event, attendees were treated to interactive games and a chance to win tickets to see platinum-selling country music star and Eckrich spokesperson, Randy Houser. In addition, Eckrich donated 300 deli sandwiches to event volunteers.
Brent Morrison served in the Army for more than three years and was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He earned a Combat Action Badge and several other awards. His wife, Heather, is his caregiver and a member of the Operation Homefront Hearts of Valor® program. The family has three children.
"We are very thankful for companies that support our military," said Heather Morrison. "This is awesome, SHOP ‘n SAVE and Eckrich are amazing. We cannot wait to go shopping with our three children."
The surprise is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront. The Morrison family is supported by Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor® program, a network of caregivers for wounded, ill or injured service members. Operation Homefront supports these caregivers through annual retreats, support groups and online communities.
Eckrich, a brand of Smithfield Foods, in its fifth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has donated more than $2 million to the organization since 2012. Now through July 4th, Eckrich is donating 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked products, up to $500,000, to Operation Homefront to assist military families.
“Eckrich continues to thank, support and honor our military families across the country,” said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. “These families make great sacrifices and we appreciate SHOP ‘n SAVE’s partnership and support for military families. Today, we were proud to thank the Morrison family for their service and to present them with one year of free groceries.”
For more information about Eckrich, please visit www.eckrich.com.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 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®, Nathan's Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, 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.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront builds strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. With more than 3,200 volunteers nationwide, Operation Homefront has provided assistance to tens of thousands of military families since its inception shortly after 9/11. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront’s expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.