Smithfield Foods and Feed the Children Support Families with Food and School Essentials

Smithfield Foods and Feed the Children are joining forces to host three Resource Rallies in communities where Smithfield operates, helping to ensure children and families return to school with food, classroom supplies and household essentials needed to thrive.“Every child deserves to start the school year with confidence and tools to succeed in and out of the classroom,” said Jim Monroe, vice president, corporate affairs for Smithfield Foods. “By partnering with Feed the Children, we are proud to support local neighbors by providing food and essentials this back-to-school season.”The first Resource Rally was held today in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Future rallies are planned in Milan, Missouri, on Aug. 25, and Clinton, North Carolina, on Sept. 4. Each Resource Rally will help feed approximately 400 families experiencing food insecurity.In addition to a $100,000 donation, Smithfield is also providing thousands of pounds of protein to families served at the events, including ham, lunch meat, bacon and pork tenderloin. Local Smithfield employees will volunteer their time to help make the events possible.“A widespread issue like childhood hunger will only be solved through collective efforts,” said Emily Callahan, president and CEO of Feed the Children. “We’ve seen the significant impact that Resource Rallies have in supporting communities where children are hungry and going without what they need to thrive. We are grateful to collaborate with Smithfield Foods to make a difference in the lives of children and families across the country. Through the power of partnership, we can make an even greater impact as we seek to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry.”Participating families receive a 25-pound box of food including shelf-stable items such as canned vegetables, beans, soup, pasta, cereal and peanut butter. Families will also receive a 15-pound box of essential personal care items such as shampoo, laundry detergent, razors and toothpaste. In addition, children will also be given backpacks stocked with school supplies including notebooks, crayons, pens and pencils, and a shelf-stable meal kit.This marks the second year of collaboration and partnership between Smithfield Foods and Feed the Children.With one in five children in the U.S. experiencing food insecurity, hunger remains a serious issue in many communities, especially during summer months and the back-to-school season.Smithfield’s hunger relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®, has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein in all 50 U.S. states since 2008. Smithfield donated more than 25 million servings of protein, valued at nearly $28 million, to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. in 2024 and is on track to donate an additional 200 million servings of protein by the end of 2025.To learn more about Smithfield’s initiatives to strengthen local communities, visit smithfieldfoods.com/good-is-what-we-do.