Smithfield, Patrick Cudahy and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Donate and Deliver 100 Thousand Servings of Protein to Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE – On Thursday, February 11th, at 10:30 a.m., Smithfield, Patrick Cudahy and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union will deliver 100 thousand servings of protein to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, 1700 W. Fond du Lac Avenue, Milwaukee, as a continuation of its ‘Feeding The Hungry’ coast-to-coast tour to donate a total of nearly 20 million servings of protein over the next three years to Feeding America – The Nation’s Food Bank Network.
Food Banks nationwide are reporting a 25 percent increase in the number of people coming to them for help. The current recession and the continuing rise in unemployment are having a profound effect on Food Banks’ ability to meet the demand. As a result, food assistance organizations across the country have been reporting over the past year that more individuals and families are turning to them for assistance including more first-time visitors, unemployed workers, employed individuals, seniors and families with children.
Roundy’s Supermarkets, a longstanding retail partner of Smithfield and a dedicated supporter of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, also will participate in the program.
“We greatly appreciate this significant donation of protein,” said Bonnie Bellehumeur, president, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “Protein is a very important nutrient, and often times hungry people aren’t getting enough of it. Smithfield is helping put the most important part of the meal back on the table for hungry families in eastern Wisconsin.”
“Smithfield Foods is committed to hunger relief,” said Dennis Pittman, Public Affairs Director, Smithfield. “We felt the need to help shine a spotlight on an ever-increasing problem for American families. Providing hunger relief will continue to remain a priority.”
“The UFCW is committed to ensuring that families across the country have the relief and the opportunities they need to weather the current economic crises,” said Joe Hansen, UFCW International President. “All across the country UFCW members are on the frontlines of efforts to improve and strengthen their communities, and this new partnership reflects their unwavering commitment to protect and advocate for families during tough times. This partnership is about bringing together organizations with the resources, the relationships and the know-how to ensure that vulnerable communities across the country have access to well-supplied food banks. Our goal is simple: Get good, nutritious food to as many families, in as many communities, as possible.”
‘Feeding the Hungry’ is one of Smithfield Foods’ ‘Helping Hungry Homes’ initiatives. ‘Helping Hungry Homes’ was established to help ensure that American families in need do not go hungry. 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.
About Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
329,400 people in eastern Wisconsin rely on food supplied by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin each year. The food bank is the largest, private, nonprofit distributor of food in the state. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin distributes more than 12 million pounds of food annually to 1,100 food pantries, meal programs and shelters throughout eastern Wisconsin. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is a member of Feeding America, formerly named America’s Second Harvest, which is consistently ranked as one of the most efficient charities, out of the country’s 100 largest charities, by Forbes magazine. Since 1982, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin has distributed more than 250 million pounds of food. To learn more about hunger in Wisconsin, visit www.feedingamericawi.org.
About Smithfield
Smithfield, a name familiar to millions of Americans, is committed to environmental leadership, community involvement, employee safety, animal welfare and high-quality food. It is seeking to help the people of Milwaukee by providing these needed servings of protein. With sales of $12 billion, Smithfield Foods is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and packaged meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of hogs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About the United Food and Commercial Workers
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, immigration reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, visit www.ufcw.org.
About Roundy’s Supermarkets
Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. is a leading grocer in the Midwest with nearly $4 billion in sales and more than 18,000 employees. Founded in Milwaukee in 1872, it operates 154 retailer grocery stores and 88 pharmacies under the Pick ‘n Save, Copps, Rainbow and Metro market banners in Wisconsin and Minnesota. For more information about Roundy’s, visit the company website at www.roundys.com.
About Patrick Cudahy
For more than 120 years, Patrick Cudahy has specialized in producing the finest quality meats using its signature Sweet Apple-Wood smoking process. Primary products manufactured for foodservice, industrial, deli and retail channels include precooked and traditional bacon, fully cooked breakfast sausage, bacon topping, fresh and dry sausage, ham and sliced meats. We operate with integrity and respect for our employees and communities. Furthermore, we are dedicated to producing quality, innovative, safe, environmentally sensitive, and nutritious products. For more information visit www.patrickcudahy.com.
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