Smithfield Partnering with Tops Friendly Markets and Richard Petty Motorsports to Provide
More Than 100,000 Servings to Watkins Glen and Surrounding Communities
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., Aug. 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield’s Helping Hungry Homes program made the 21st stop on its 2016 nationwide hunger-relief tour this morning to donate more than 25,000 pounds of protein to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. The donation will provide more than 100,000 servings and help the food bank continue to provide meals to the greater Watkins Glen area, where nearly 12 percent of individuals are food insecure.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/598b3c02-f2f1-4059-a701-79e9bdb32ed0
Smithfield partnered with Tops Friendly Markets and Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) to present the donation during an event on Friday, August 5 at Tops, located at 504 1/2 Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY. Speakers discussed the importance of donations like these in Watkins Glen and surrounding communities, where one in five children suffers from hunger.
Racing legend Richard Petty, who has partnered with the Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes program to donate thousands of pounds of protein over recent years, was present to discuss the importance of these donations from Smithfield and to raise awareness about the necessity of providing assistance to our neighbors in need.
Helping Hungry Homes, now in its eighth year, is Smithfield’s coast-to-coast tour to help Americans become more food secure. This year, the program will help fight hunger through more than 30 large-scale protein donations to food banks across the United States totaling more than 3.5 million servings. To date, Helping Hungry Homes has provided more than 40 million servings of protein to food banks across America.
“The Food Bank is grateful for the continued support of Tops Friendly Markets, who has enabled us to receive this incredible donation from Smithfield Foods,” said Natasha Thompson, Food Bank of the Southern Tier president & CEO. “Each week, over 16,000 individuals visit a hunger-relief partner agency served by the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. This donation is a great addition to the menu for those we serve.”
“Tops’ community mission is focused on helping to eradicate hunger,” said Frank Curci, Tops chairman and CEO. “Especially now, it’s more important than ever to help our neighbors who are trying hard to make ends meet. We are proud to partner with Smithfield and RPM so we can help address this growing need.”
“Smithfield is proud to partner with Tops and RPM to salute the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and present this donation through our Helping Hungry Homes program,” said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield senior director of corporate communications and public affairs. “As a food company, it’s our responsibility to help our neighbors in need. Through this donation, we are proud to provide wholesome protein to families and individuals throughout Watkins Glen and surrounding communities.”
“RPM is honored to participate in this donation during Watkins Glen race weekend,” said Richard Petty. “So many race fans are loyal customers of Smithfield and shop at Tops, so it’s great to see the two organizations partnering to give back to the communities that support them, and our race team, throughout the year.”
About Smithfield
A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the “Ham Capital of the World.” From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfield's products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com, www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand, and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
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®, John Morrell®, Cook's®, Kretschmar®, Gwaltney®, Curly's®, Margherita®, Carando®, Healthy Ones®, Krakus®, Morliny®, and Berlinki®. 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 Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Aric Almirola and Brian Scott. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and the “Fresh From Florida” campaign. Scott will make his debut with the team and drive the Petty Family No. 44 Ford. Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, Twisted Tea and GoBowling.com will join Scott as he competes for Rookie of the Year in his first full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. Richard Petty Motorsports will also field the No. 43 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
About Tops Friendly Markets
Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 172 full-service supermarkets. With more than 16,000 associates, Tops is a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont and northern Massachusetts. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.
About The Food Bank Of The Southern Tier
Established in 1981 and headquartered in Elmira, NY, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier distributes food and other grocery products to people in need through a network of more than 160 partner agencies including food pantries, meal kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief organizations in Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties. The Food Bank also administers several direct service food distribution programs including the BackPack Program™ and Mobile Food Pantry. The Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and a regional agency of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester. The Food Bank helps fulfill Catholic Charities’ commitment to create a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people by working together to build and sustain hunger-free communities throughout the Southern Tier.