Farmer John And LAFC Broadcaster Max Bretos Team Up To Donate Over A Quarter Of A Million Servings Of Protein To Los Angeles Regional Food Bank To Fight Community Hunger

Donation is Part of the Brand's California Commitment Tour Aimed to Feed, Celebrate and Serve the Greater L.A. Area Throughout the Summer and Fall

News provided by

Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Oct 05, 2021, 18:15 ET

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier today, Farmer John and LAFC Broadcaster Max Bretos stopped by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to recognize the organization's positive impact and commitment to serving the local community. To assist in the Food Bank's efforts, Farmer John donated over a quarter of a million servings of much-needed protein to aid in local hunger relief. In addition to giving back to the community through food, Farmer John also showed its gratitude to workers at the Food Bank who have been committed to keeping families fed during the pandemic by providing a thank you lunch to employees and their families.

As part of its California Commitment Tour, representatives from Farmer John gather at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to donate over a quarter million servings of protein to the L.A. community. (From left: Max Bretos, LAFC broadcaster, Michael Flood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Jonathan Toms, Charitable Initiatives Manager at Smithfield Foods).

LA Food Bank Logo

This event is part of the 2021 California Commitment Tour, an initiative launched by Farmer John in 2020 to feed, celebrate and serve the greater Los Angeles area. To support California residents and the neighborhoods where they live, the brand has taken its food truck on the road once again this year, embarking on a 12-week mission to deliver grab-and-go lunches to local heroes and essential businesses, spotlight hometown heroes and provide protein to local food banks. With this donation, Farmer John has provided nearly one million servings of protein to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank within the last two years.

"As a member of the Southern California community for more than 90 years, it's been an honor to show our commitment to Californians through year two of our California Commitment Tour. For us, it goes beyond just feeding people. It means supporting neighbors and working together to make a better California for everyone," said Michael Merritt, senior director of brand marketing for Farmer John at Smithfield Foods. "Knowing the challenges that have arisen for so many over the last year and a half, it was important that we continue to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank through this donation. We are always humbled by their organization's hard work and dedication to serving Los Angeles County, and our hope is that this contribution helps deliver the much-needed protein that the community needs."

"We are happy to have Farmer John's support again this year as many are still recovering from the economic fallout caused by the pandemic," said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. "Protein items are expensive and are commonly requested by our Partner Agencies throughout LA County, and this will make a big difference in their lives and the lives of their families."

"It's an honor to be a part of this event to meet and serve delicious meals to the staff at the L.A. Regional Food Bank," said Max Bretos, LAFC broadcaster. "There's no denying that it's been a challenging year and a half, and we hope that by being here today, we can bring smiles to their faces and really show our appreciation for all of the hard work that they continue to do day in and day out for our community."

In a typical month before the pandemic, the Food Bank provided sustenance to 300,000 adults, seniors and children through its network and distribution programs. The number is now estimated to be at roughly 900,000 people served over the course of a month – triple the amount before the pandemic. This donation will provide valuable center of the plate nourishment to those in need and help the Food Bank maintain their current high volume of food distribution.

For more information and to see where the Farmer John California Commitment Tour goes next, follow us on Facebook (@FarmerJohn), Instagram (@FarmerJohnLA) or Twitter (@FarmerJohnLA).

About Farmer John
Based in California since 1931, Farmer John has pioneered a revolution in the supply of local flavorful meats. The journey began with Irish-American brothers Francis and Bernard Clougherty curing and selling pork bellies and smoked hams to local grocery stores and continues today with staples like breakfast sausage and hot dogs. This longstanding Southern California brand remains committed to crafting the highest quality meats full of freshness and flavor. For more information on our products and recipe inspiration, please visit www.farmerjohn.com or follow us on Facebook (@FarmerJohn), Instagram (@FarmerJohnLA) or Twitter (@FarmerJohnLA). Farmer John is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

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 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.^®" and have made Smithfield one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. 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.

About Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been mobilizing resources to fight hunger in Los Angeles County since 1973. To support the Food Bank's vision that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County, food and grocery products are distributed through a network of 700 partner agencies and directly to those in need through Food Bank programs. The Food Bank has distributed more than 1.7 billion pounds of food, the equivalent of 1.35 billion meals, since 1973. The total value of food and grocery product distributed since the Food Bank's inception is $2.3 billion. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food Bank tripled the number of people helped, and now reaches 900,000 people every month. The Food Bank is a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator. For more information, visit LAFoodBank.org.

SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.