Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC receives
major meat donation

Winston-Salem, N.C (January 22, 2009) — Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC received a food donation of more than 15,000 pounds of meat, enough for 60,000 servings, from Smithfield Foods on Thursday.  Food banks, pantries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens in an 18-county area will be the beneficiaries.  The Winston-Salem Rescue Mission, Samaritan Ministries, and Greensboro Urban Ministries also received direct donations.

Clyde Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, said hunger is a significant problem in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, and throughout the agency’s 18-county service area in northwest North Carolina.  He said their network of 415 partner agencies report that the demand for food assistance from their clients has increased dramatically. Many are first time requesters, people who previously had jobs but through no fault of their own, have lost them.

“Smithfield Foods’ contribution will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our neighbors suffering from hunger. Every donation of food to Second Harvest Food Bank is food that someone doesn't have and badly needs. Hunger is a solvable problem and we appreciate Smithfield's efforts in being such an important part of the solution,” Fitzgerald said.