Raleigh, NC (April 4, 2025) — The North Carolina Pork Council and Smithfield Foods donated $30,000 and 30,000 pounds of pork products to the MANNA FoodBank to fight hunger in North Carolina communities.
Smithfield’s 30,000-pound protein donation was made up of ready-to-eat items including lunch meat, hams and smoked sausage, and was the equivalent of 120,000 servings.
“Our North Carolina farmers take pride in supporting their communities, and we’re proud to represent them in helping the MANNA FoodBank fight hunger,” said Roy Lee Lindsey, CEO of the North Carolina Pork Council. “We’d like to thank Smithfield Foods for the significant donation of pork products, which will go a long way to help alleviate food insecurity in Western North Carolina.”
“Smithfield and our 10,000 employees in North Carolina have a long history of doing good in our local communities,” said Kraig Westerbeek, president of hog production for Smithfield Foods. “This partnership with MANNA will ensure that nutritious meals reach those who need them most – including our neighbors still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.”
“We see every day how hard people in our communities are working just to put food on the table,” said Claire Neal, CEO of MANNA FoodBank. “We are truly grateful for this generous gift from the North Carolina Pork Council and Smithfield Foods and it couldn’t come at a more vital time. With every dollar providing enough food for four meals, the collective impact of this cash contribution and nutritious pork donation will help us fill thousands of empty plates for our neighbors in need across Western North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Pork Council’s $30,000 donation will fulfill a $30,000 matching donation pledge for a total donation of $60,000 to MANNA FoodBank.
Smithfield’s hunger relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®, has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein in all 50 U.S. states since 2008. Smithfield donated more than 30 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. in 2023 and has pledged to donate 200 million servings of protein by 2025.