The Kansas Food Bank and Geary County Food Pantry will work together to distribute the company’s protein donations to Kansas veterans and neighbors facing food insecurity.
SMITHFIELD, Va. — Smithfield Foods has donated more than 38,000 pounds of protein to help veterans and their families in Geary County, Kansas, who are facing food insecurity. Feeding America’s Kansas Food Bank will work with the Geary County Food Pantry to distribute the protein throughout the area.
“Smithfield Foods’ mission is to ensure that no one goes hungry, especially our veterans and their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Steve Evans, vice president of community development for Smithfield Foods. “We’re honored to serve the community through this food donation to help alleviate some of the hunger in Geary County.”
The donations, which include bacon, sausage, smoked sausage, ham steaks, hot dogs and a variety of sandwich meats, will provide more than 150,000 protein meals to those at risk of hunger in Geary County.
The donation was announced at the Armed Forces Day celebration May 18 hosted by the Military Council near Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas. Geary County has one of the highest rates of child food insecurity in the state and the highest food insecurity rate statewide.
“We are extremely grateful to Smithfield Foods for their generous donation to our community and for their significant contribution to our Armed Forces Day events,” said Israel Waddell, director of the Military Affairs Council of Junction City and Geary County, Kansas. “The company’s efforts to support military families and combat food insecurity in Geary County are truly admirable. This donation will make a real difference in the lives of our community and the men and women who have dedicatedly served our country.”
Smithfield’s hunger relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®, has provided hundreds of millions of protein meals in all 50 states, Poland, Romania and Mexico since 2008. Smithfield has committed to donating approximately 28 million protein meals to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community assistance programs across the U.S. in 2023, and 200 million protein meals by 2025.
To learn more about Smithfield’s community support programs, visit smithfieldfoods.com/helping-communities .
About Smithfield Foods
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia since 1936, Smithfield Foods is an American food company that employs more than 54,000 people across seven countries and partners with thousands of U.S. farmers. As the world’s leading vertically integrated protein company, we are committed to “producing good food responsibly” to feed a growing global population. The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than 20 years, including an industry-leading commitment to become carbon negative in its U.S. direct operations by 2030 and reduce GHG emissions by 30% across its U.S. value chain. We believe protein has the power to end food insecurity, and have donated hundreds of millions of meals to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community assistance programs in all 50 states. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of many high-quality, iconic brands, including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Gwaltney® and Nathan’s Famous®. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads.
