Hickory Farms Associates Lend a Hand to Help Fight Hunger

MAUMEE, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hickory Farms, the specialty food and holiday gift company based in northwest Ohio, is participating in a day of service for the third year in a row. As part of the company's ongoing commitment to end childhood hunger, Hickory Farms is teaming up with the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank to help feed community members in need. 90 associates plan to sort food and groceries today at Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank. The effort is expected to generate more than 11,700 meals for local community members in need.

"Giving back to those that need our help the most is important to Hickory Farms, and we are honored to work with partners such as the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank," says Mark S. Rodriguez, CEO of Hickory Farms.

Hickory Farms has a long-time partnership with Share Our Strength®, a leading national not-for-profit organization working to end childhood hunger in North America. Hickory Farms and its customers have donated more than $1.1MM to Share Our Strength's ® No Kid Hungry Campaign over the past three years. Share Our Strength helps fund programs like the Kid's Cafe program at Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank, which provides fresh and nutritious afterschool meals to local kids in need.

"Hickory Farms' commitment to volunteerism and the community has and will continue to make a difference in the lives of those in need in northwestern Ohio. Their support as well as all our volunteers' support of the Food Bank is an invaluable tool in the fight against hunger," says James Caldwell, President and CEO of Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank.

About Hickory Farms

Hickory Farms is a leading provider of specialty foods and specialty food gifts. A focus on personalized service has kept Hickory Farms products popular on gift lists since 1951. Millions of North American customers choose Hickory Farms' award winning savory sausages, favorite cheeses and other gourmet goods for their loved ones each holiday season. The company's signature products and eco-friendly gift boxes can be found online, in catalogs, in leading supermarkets and in retail shopping centers throughout the holiday season. For more information, please visit http://www.hickoryfarms.com/.

About Toledo Northwestern Food Bank

Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to enable other community organizations to end hunger. Over the past 26 years the TNWOFB has distributed more than 76 million pounds of food and grocery products to assist those in need. Currently, the TNWOFB serves a network of more than 300 member agencies in an eight county area, including Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams and Wood. Agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, non-profit daycare centers, non-profit rehabilitation centers, group homes and programs for the elderly and children. Since 1985, the TNWOFB has been an affiliate of Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. For more information on the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank, Inc. visit www.toledofoodbank.org.

About Share Our Strength

Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through its No Kid Hungry® Campaign—a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015—Share Our Strength ensures children in need are enrolled in effective federal nutrition programs; invests in community organizations fighting hunger; teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals; and builds public-private partnerships to end childhood hunger, at the state and city level. Working closely with the culinary industry and relying on the strength of its volunteers, Share Our Strength hosts innovative culinary fundraising events and develops pioneering cause marketing campaigns that support No Kid Hungry. Visit Strength.org to get involved.

SOURCE Hickory Farms