Smithfield Foods Donates Nearly 30,000 Pounds of Protein to Louisiana Foodbank in Wake of Hurricane Zeta

LAFAYETTE, La., November 2, 2020 /3BL Media/ -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. has donated nearly 30,000 pounds of protein to Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana to aid ongoing recovery efforts in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Zeta. The donation, equivalent to more than 120,000 servings of protein, is part of Smithfield's signature hunger-relief initiative, Helping Hungry Homes^®.

"We're so grateful to Smithfield Foods for this contribution to our relief work. This protein will make such a difference for those in need, both through our disaster relief mobile kitchen and for direct distribution to individuals impacted by the storm," said Natalie Jayroe, president and chief executive officer of Second Harvest Food Bank. "The people of South Louisiana are incredibly resilient, and these donations are crucial to ensuring no one goes hungry."

Hurricane Zeta marks the fifth named storm this year to make landfall in Louisiana – the most since hurricane record-keeping started in 1851. Recovery efforts from Hurricanes Laura and Delta are still ongoing, and more than 3,500 Louisiana residents are still in shelters following the impact of those storms.

"Louisianans have faced extraordinary challenges in recent months, and we hope this donation will contribute toward a strong recovery for those affected by Hurricane Zeta," said Jonathan Toms, charitable initiatives manager at Smithfield Foods. "Any disaster recovery effort is a collective one and, as a global food company, Smithfield is proud to support this cause by providing protein resources to those most in need."

For more information about how to support the Second Harvest Food Bank, visit no-hunger.org. To learn more about Smithfield Foods' Helping Hungry Homes^® initiative, visit smithfieldfoods.com/about-smithfield/philanthropy/helping-hungry-homes. 

About Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank is leading the fight against hunger in South Louisiana by providing food access, advocacy, education, and disaster response. Second Harvest provides food to more than 700 community partners across 23 parishes. Together, we make up the largest charitable anti-hunger network in the state. With help from our communities, we can make food security a reality for every household in South Louisiana. Second Harvest Food Bank is an affiliated ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, a member of Feeding America, and a United Way partner agency. To join us in the fight to end hunger, please visit no-hunger.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/2ndHarvestGNOA or on Twitter and Instagram @2ndHarvestGNOA.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 40,000 U.S. and 15,000 European employees are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.^®" and have made us one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including many industry firsts, such as our ambitious commitment to cut our carbon impact by 25 percent by 2025. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield^®, Eckrich^® and Nathan's Famous^®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.