LISLE, Ill., Nov. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with Strack & Van Til and two-time NBA champion Cliff Levingston to show their appreciation to a local military family in a very special way. The Martin family of Bristol, Ind. was surprised at a local Strack & Van Til grocery store with the gift of $5,000 in free groceries, courtesy of Eckrich.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47030f6b-823e-48ea-a9f5-62c86ad04178
“I'm proud to partner with Eckrich to honor the Martin family," said Levingston. "The opportunity to surprise such a deserving family has been humbling. It's our duty to help our military families for all that they have done for us, and I'm thankful for all that Eckrich is doing to support so many families."
The gift of groceries is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront, a national non-profit whose mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families.
Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.
Sergeant Rocky “Doc” Martin joined the Army in 1999 as a Combat Medic. In 2003, SGT. Martin was deployed overseas, serving in Kuwait and Iraq. He now lives at home in Indiana with his wife, Misty.
"We are proud to continue to honor our military families across the country," said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. “When celebrities like Cliff Levingston get involved in the Eckrich campaign to honor, thank and support military families it adds an extra bit of joy for everyone involved. We are also grateful to have partners such as Strack & Van Til, who share in our commitment. It is our honor to provide the Martin family with $5,000 in free groceries."
Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods. 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 $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.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 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.