Smithfield Foods' Helping Hungry Homes program has been in operation since 2008. The company initiated this program to donate protein to food banks, disaster relief, and community outreach across the U.S., Poland, Romania, and Mexico. In 2023 alone, Smithfield Foods donated more than 286,000 pounds of ham to food banks.
The Helping Hungry Homes program underwent significant expansion during the pandemic. The initiative reached an additional 100 million servings four years ahead of their original target date of 2025. Having achieved this milestone early, Smithfield Foods increased its pledge to deliver 200 million servings by 2025, as stated on their philanthropy page.
Several food banks received these donations between December 15 and 20 of the same year. These include Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin in Milwaukee, which received 37,000 pounds or equivalent to 8,760 individual hams; Feeding South Dakota in Sioux Falls with a donation of 35,000 pounds or approximately 8,400 individual hams; Omaha’s Food Bank for the Heartland received a total of 30,700 pounds or around 7,152 individual hams; the Food Bank of Lincoln in Nebraska was given a total of 30,500 pounds or about 5,396 hams; the Food Bank of Iowa was handed over with a donation amounting to38,000 pounds or approximately equivalent to5,396 individual hams; the Second Harvest Community Food Bank in St. Joseph Missouri received a generous donation of42,800 pounds or roughly9,744 individual hams; and lastly Utah Food Bank in Salt Lake City received34,500 pounds of ham which is about7,604 individual hams according to the Dec.29 news release announcing the distribution.
"Millions of people in the U.S. don't have enough food to eat and this is especially tragic during the holiday season. We're honored to be able share these hams with our neighbors in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin, where more than 13,000 of our employees live, work and raise their families," said Steve Evans, vice president of community development for Smithfield Foods.
Smithfield Foods' history dates back to 1936 when Joseph W. Luter Sr., and Joseph Luter Jr., opened the Smithfield Packing Company in Smithfield, Virginia. The company's plant opened in 1946 and by 1959 employed 650 individuals. In 1969, Smithfield Foods was sold to Liberty Equities. The company expanded its operations by opening a restaurant in 2012 alongside the Genuine Smithfield Ham Shoppe on Main Street in Smithfield, Virginia. Since then, the company has continued to grow.