SPRINGFIELD, Mass., March 18, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carando, the artisans of Classic Italian Meats, partnered with Big Y to donate more than 500 spiral sliced quarter hams to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. The donation will feed more than 500 families in need, providing them with a ham to enjoy on Easter Sunday. Carando made the donation Friday at a Big Y grocery store in Springfield, Mass.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/979aa65a-eee6-44e3-a68c-d063b658c590
Carando Regional Manager Patrick Favalo presented 504 hams, weighing over 6,000 pounds, to Sean Nimmons, District Director of Big Y and Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
“Carando stands for quality and heritage, so it’s important that Carando continues its tradition of giving back to the community,” said Dan Incaudo, General Manager, Carando. “We are extremely humbled to be able to help so many families in need by providing 504 hams to an incredible organization like The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.”
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts distributes food to member agencies in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties. In 2015, the non-profit organization distributed nearly 10 million pounds of food to more than 200 pantries, meal sites and shelters across the region. Big Y is a generous supporter of The Food Bank, regularly contributing food and transportation.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, a longtime supporter of Carando’s charitable efforts, was also on hand for the donation. Mayor Sarno helped Carando and Big Y present The Food Bank with the hams.
“We’re proud to partner with Carando and the Carando Cares program to help give families in our community a happy holiday,” said Guy McFarlane, Vice President of Fresh Foods, Big Y. “We are honored to know our donation of Carando ham will mean more than 500 families will have an Easter ham on the table.”
The donation was made as part of the Carando Cares program, an ongoing campaign established in 2013 to support organizations making a positive difference in local communities. Carando Cares has already made more than $250,000 in monetary and in-kind donations since the program’s inception.
For more information about Carando and Carando Cares, please visit carando.com or www.Facebook.com/CarandoMeats. Carando is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Carando
All of our classic Italian meats stay true to the traditional recipes that our founder, Pietro Carando, brought to America from his boyhood home in Torino, Italy. One taste is all it takes to discover the authentic Italian difference of Carando. For more information, visit carando.com.
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.