SMITHFIELD, Va., May 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Smithfield Foundation announced today that North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University have been added to the list of available schools that provide scholarships for the children and grandchildren of full-time or retired employees at Smithfield Foods.
Originally established in 2002, The Smithfield Foundation is a non-profit organization that acts as the philanthropic wing of the company, providing scholarships for the dependent children and grandchildren of full-time or retired employees of all Smithfield Foods companies.
The Foundation has also established several community partnerships and helps fund environmental projects, animal well-being initiatives and university research, as well as many other local projects in the communities where the company's employees live and work.
"Our company has a long history of supporting educational opportunities in our local communities, and we have a special commitment to help advance the education of our employees' children and grandchildren," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods.
"We're excited to enter into this partnership with the Smithfield Foundation because Smithfield Foods shares North Carolina State University's commitment to provide a high-quality education for our young men and women who will become tomorrow's leaders," said Krista Domnick, Director for the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at North Carolina State University.
The Smithfield Foundation's scholarship program also includes Fayetteville State University, Iowa State University, Johnson & Wales University, Norfolk State University, Paul D. Camp Community College, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) and Virginia Union University.
The Company has several key outreach efforts in addition to the Foundation, such as Learners to Leaders and Helping Hungry Homes that honor the company's strong commitment to giving back to employees and providing opportunities in the communities where the company's facilities are located. To learn more, please visit http://www.smithfieldcommitments.com/key-outreach-efforts/.
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.