LISLE, Ill., Dec. 09, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This morning at Ultra Foods in Downers Grove, Ill., Eckrich, Ultra Foods and Operation Homefront honored a local military family. Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, and former MLB pitcher Chris Bosio presented the family with $5,000 in free groceries at Ultra Foods, courtesy of Eckrich.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f24f7b24-ed65-4306-b794-30cdcef4c62d
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.
The presentation was made by Bosio, a former pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers, who is currently a pitching coach for the Chicago Cubs. He’s well-known for throwing a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
“I’m grateful that Eckrich has given me the opportunity to say thank you to the Velasco family today,” said Bosio. “This is a wonderful campaign by Eckrich to honor our families who have sacrificed to allow us to enjoy our freedom.”
Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Alberto Velasco was deployed to Iraq in January of 2003 and again in July of 2004, where he supported the front lines and ran numerous convoys in support of numerous combat missions. He was honorably discharged in October of 2006.
"Eckrich is proud to partner with Ultra Foods to honor a deserving Illinois military family," said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. "Today’s event continues our dedication to support military families across the country. We are pleased to honor the Velasco family with $5,000 in free groceries at Ultra Foods."
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.