071236 Hormel Donates to America's Second Harvest

Austin, MN - Hormel Foods Corporation announced a significant donation of more than 81,000 pounds of protein products to benefit America’s Second Harvest food banks. This donation is part of Hormel Foods’ ongoing commitment to end hunger and follows the Oct. 29 Ohio Hunger Summit sponsored by the company.

The donation includes nearly three truckloads of protein products that will provide meals to nearly 430,000 people in need this holiday season. The donated products include Hormel® Compleats™ microwaveable meals, Hormel® Natural Choice® ham, Hormel® Cure 81® ham, Hormel® dried beef, Hormel® chunk chicken and Hormel® chunk white chicken. Hormel Foods selected these products specifically because they satisfy a serious need for food banks, providing a much-needed supply of protein.

“It is our sincere hope that this donation will help America’s Second Harvest and its member food banks help those in need this holiday season,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. “This donation confirms our commitment to end hunger in America one community at a time.”

In addition to national distribution among America’s Second Harvest’s network of food banks, a portion of the donation will be given to three America’s Second Harvest food banks in Ohio in honor of the Ohio Hunger Summit. Cleveland Foodbank, Inc. in Cleveland, FreestoreFoodbank in Cincinnati and Mid- Ohio FoodBank in Columbus were specifically identified by America’s Second Harvest as the most at-need facilities in the state.

“Hunger in Ohio is a growing problem, and the food banks in our state are facing dangerously low inventory, especially for protein,” said Lisa Hamler- Fugitt, executive director, Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. “Through its generous donation and sponsorship of the Ohio Hunger Summit, Hormel Foods is helping us fulfill that need among the communities that need it most.”

The Ohio Hunger Summit was held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati. The event gathered legislative, corporate and community leaders to discuss hunger in Ohio and outline a vision to eliminate the problem. Speakers included Ettinger; America’s Second Harvest Chief Executive Officer Vicki Escarra; U.S. Representative Jean Schmidt; and John Young, president and chief executive officer of FreestoreFoodbank, among others.

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