John Morrell Supports Local Hunger Relief with Donation to Youth & Family Services

LISLE, Ill., June 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- John Morrell expanded its efforts to help fight hunger with a donation to Youth & Family Services (YFS) in Rapid City, S.D., this week. Together with Family Thrift Center, the company donated 500 pounds of John Morrell ham to YFS' Nutrition Services program. The donation fills an acute need for YFS and will help make a difference in the lives of those struggling with, or who are at immediate risk of hunger.

The event is a local complement to the company's commitment to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in America. John Morrell announced last year that it was joining its parent company, Smithfield Foods, in supporting No Kid Hungry to ensure all children in America have the healthy food they need.

"Everyone at John Morrell is passionate about giving back to the communities in which we work and live and in particular, supporting the fight against hunger," said Chuck Gitkin, vice president of marketing and R&D, John Morrell Food Group. "Our partnership with the No Kid Hungry campaign is an excellent way for us to help make a difference and to help get children and families the food they need. We are proud to continue this relationship and are thankful for the support of partners such as Family Thrift Center. With their support, it enables us to really reach out to communities like Rapid City and others across the country."

One out of five kids in this nation lives in a family struggling to put food on the table. In South Dakota, 18% of children live with the threat of hunger. Throughout the state, the No Kid Hungry campaign connects children in need to nutritious food and helps families learn the skills they need in order to prepare healthy and affordable meals through programs and organizations such as Youth & Family Services' Nutrition Services. Last year, the Nutrition Services program provided or oversaw the provision of 892,554 well-balanced meals and snacks to children in YFS agency programs and those children receiving care from registered in-home child care providers through the Family Child Care Nutrition program.

"We are thrilled to have John Morrell and Nash Finch support Youth & Family Services' Nutrition program," stated Darcie Decker, YFS Nutrition Services Director. "This donation is a valuable contribution to the meals we provide to children in our community. The lives and stomachs of many children will benefit through the addition of this ham in our Summer Food Program. YFS' Summer Food Program provides meals at no cost to children ages 18 and younger."

Family Thrift Center customers will find details about No Kid Hungry through in-store signage and can make a donation at the checkout registers now through Saturday, June 28.

For more information about No Kid Hungry and to join John Morrell in supporting the campaign, please click here. And to find ways to support Youth & Family Services, please visit their website.

About John Morrell Food Group 
With over a century and a half of experience, John Morrell Food Group brands have become respected and well known for providing premium-quality meat products to families across the United States. With products ranging from lunchmeat and franks to smoked sausage, bacon and pepperoni, the John Morrell Food Group is an important part of consumers' mealtimes. The John Morrell Food Group offers several national and regional brands including Armour^®, Eckrich^®, John Morrell^®, Curly's^®, Patrick Cudahy^®, Carando^®, Healthy Ones^®, Margherita^® Kretschmar^® and LunchMakers^®.

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®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. 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 and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.

About Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry^® Campaign
No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry^® campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters. This work is accomplished through the No Kid Hungry network, made up of private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

About Youth & Family Services
Youth & Family Services (YFS) is a nonprofit organization that has been serving children and their families since 1965. YFS has grown to become one of the largest, most comprehensive youth development programs in western South Dakota– serving more than 12,000 children and families on an annual basis. YFS encompasses seven cohesive programs that offer educational and recreational activities, meals and snacks, health and wellness programming, health advocacy and support, counseling services, fatherhood and parent enrichment education, and prevention programs. It is the agency's mission to support children and their families in being capable, caring and contributing members of the community.

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SOURCE John Morrell Food Group