The John Morrell Food Group and Arby's Partner to Support No Kid Hungry

LISLE, Ill., Aug. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The John Morrell Food Group (JMFG), a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, and Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. are teaming up to support Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry® campaign, a national initiative to end childhood hunger in America.  JMFG and Arby's commitment to the cause will be highlighted on the national stage this Labor Day weekend.  The two companies will feature the No Kid Hungry logo on the famed No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford driven by Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The race will be televised live by ESPN.

The partnership combines the passions and efforts of both companies to end childhood hunger.  Arby's is the largest restaurant chain to partner with No Kid Hungry and supports the partnership through the Arby's Foundation by: raising awareness; funding long-term programs and sustainable solutions that impact childhood hunger; providing wholesome kids meal options in its restaurants; and creating volunteer opportunities for its employees and franchisees. Since 2011, the Arby's Foundation has raised $11 million for No Kid Hungry, helping to bring an additional 107 million meals to kids who need them.

From August 18 - September 28, 2014, Arby's is launching its annual in-store fundraiser to support the Arby's Foundation at its participating stores nationwide. The "Give a $1 today, get $2 back" promotion encourages guests at participating Arby's restaurants to donate a dollar towards ending childhood hunger in America in partnership with No Kid Hungry. Guests immediately receive a coupon for two dollars off any future regular-sized combo meal or full-priced sandwich. It will be supported with window clings, counter card signage at registers and table tents.

JMFG established a national partnership in 2013 with No Kid Hungry to ensure all children get the healthy food they need, every day.  Since partnering with No Kid Hungry, John Morrell Food Group has supported the No Kid Hungry campaign with monetary and food donations as well as creating unique promotional opportunities to help grow awareness of the cause.

The Lisle, Ill., based food company and Arby's are showing their joint commitment to ending childhood hunger at the Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The organizations hope to bring awareness to childhood hunger issues facing America and encourage people to donate to the cause.

"Bringing an end to childhood hunger is a cause that both John Morrell Food Group and Arby's are passionate about," said Chuck Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for JMFG. "We hope that showcasing the No Kid Hungry logo on the most famous car in motorsports, the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, will bring some well-deserved exposure and awareness to the millions of people who will be watching this weekend."

"Arby's continues to identify and pursue new opportunities and creative approaches to address the serious but solvable issue of ending childhood hunger in America," said Kate Atwood, executive director of the Arby's Foundation. "From our School's Out, Food's In summer innovation program, to our in-restaurant fundraiser and our race-day partnership with John Morrell Food Group, we strive to inspire our partners, franchisees and guests to help ensure that every child gets the food they need to learn, play and grow."

For more information on No Kid Hungry, or to make a donation, please visit your local Arby's® restaurant or NoKidHungry.org.

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 Arby's
Arby's, founded in 1964, is the first nationally franchised sandwich restaurant brand, with nearly 3,400 restaurants worldwide.  The Arby's brand purpose is to "inspire smiles through delicious experiences." Arby's delivers on its purpose by celebrating the art of Meatcraft™ with a variety of high-quality proteins and innovative, crave-able sides, such as Curly Fries and Jamocha shakes.  Arby's Fast Craft™ restaurant services feature a unique blend of quick-serve speed combined with the quality and made-for-you care of fast casual.  Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. is the franchisor of the Arby's Brand and is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.  Visit Arbys.com for more information or socially connect with Arby's at:  Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Instagram 

About the Arby's Foundation, Inc.
The Arby's Foundation, whose mission is to end childhood hunger in America, is the charitable arm of Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc.  Building on a philanthropic heritage that has contributed more than $70 million to child-related causes since its inception in 1986, the Arby's Foundation has launched a bold new movement to educate, mobilize and empower Americans with the knowledge and resources needed to ensure food security for every single child. With more than 16.7 million U.S. children—more than 1 in 5—facing hunger daily, the Arby's Foundation has devoted its resources to providing education and access to wholesome food choices for children across the country. The Arby's Foundation is a registered 501 (c) (3) organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.  To learn more, visit www.arbysfoundation.org.

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 No Kid Hungry
No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. No Kid Hungry connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals.  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.

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SOURCE John Morrell Food Group