Donation Will Provide More Than 320,000 Meals To Knoxville-Area Families

Smithfield and Food City are partnering to help feed local Knoxville-area families by donating 80,000 pounds of protein to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. The joint effort is part of Smithfield’s Helping Hungry Homes program.

Representatives from Smithfield and Food City will present the donation at 12:00 PM on Thursday, March 13, at Food City (Store #679), located at 7350 Clinton Highway, Powell, TN.

“Donations to food banks typically fall off after the holiday season, so this significant donation from Smithfield and Food City is particularly timely,” said Elaine Streno, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “Of all the food we distribute, the need for protein is the most critical. We appreciate the partnership and commitment of Smithfield and Food City to bring this substantial donation to our community.”

“Food City has a long history of community involvement and support of our local food banks,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City President and CEO. “We are grateful to partner with Smithfield to bring their Helping Hungry Homes program, and this tremendous donation, to Tennessee.”

“Smithfield has made more than 180 donations across the country under the company’s Helping Hungry Homes program. Through this donation, we will provide more than 320,000 servings of protein to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee,” said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. “We’re proud to join with Food City’s ongoing efforts within the local communities here to make this substantial donation to benefit families in the Knoxville area.”

Smithfield Foods and its independent operating companies have a long history of stocking food banks, supporting after-school nutrition programs and providing food relief in the wake of natural disasters. In January 2008, Smithfield established their Helping Hungry Homes® initiatives to help ensure that American families in need do not go hungry. 

About Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee 

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a member of Feeding America, has worked to eliminate hunger since 1982. In 2012-2013, this organization provided food for more than 17 million meals in 18 counties in East Tennessee. With 6 major programs and over 500 non-profit partners, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee distributes food to more than 158,000 kids, adults and seniors each month. For more information, visit www.SecondHarvestETN.org. 

About Food City

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores operates 105 retail food outlets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, and Northeast Tennessee. For more information, visit www.FoodCity.com.  

About Smithfield-Farmland 

In August 2013, two Smithfield Foods subsidiaries, The Smithfield Packing Company and Farmland Foods, realigned to form the Smithfield-Farmland Packaged Food Group, and Smithfield-Farmland Fresh Meat Group. This union brought together two leading pork suppliers, both known for their high-quality retail and foodservice offerings in the United States and abroad across a variety of Fresh and Packaged categories. In addition to the Smithfield and Farmland brands, the company’s Gwaltney and Cook’s products are among the leaders in their respective markets. For more information, visit www.Smithfield.com and www.FarmlandFoods.com.