Smithfield Foods, in partnership with the Oklahoma Pork Council, capped off Hunger Action Month by donating 33,000 pounds of pork to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
The donation will provide an estimated 132,000 servings of protein to families in need throughout 53 counties across central and western Oklahoma.
Cathy Vaughan, safety manager at Smithfield and board member of the Oklahoma Pork Council, highlighted the importance of their community contributions. “We take the honor of feeding our neighbors very seriously,” she said. “With hog production operations in Laverne, Oklahoma, we continually look for ways to give back locally, and it’s rewarding to have opportunities like this to make a big impact across the state.”
Each September, the Feeding America network of food banks celebrates Hunger Action Month (H.A.M.), mobilizing volunteers and donations to fight food insecurity. The Oklahoma Pork Council, spurred by encouragement from Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur in 2021, has been organizing large-scale pork donations during H.A.M. for the last four years.
Kylee Deniz, executive director of Oklahoma Pork, praised the collaboration. “There’s so much to celebrate here,” Deniz said. “We have a fantastic champion in Secretary Arthur, incredibly generous members like Cathy at Smithfield, and an inspiring partner in the Regional Food Bank.”
The donation included a variety of pork products such as hams and bacon. These nutritious offerings will be distributed swiftly by the Regional Food Bank’s network of partners to rural and urban communities. Stacy Dykstra, CEO of the Regional Food Bank, expressed gratitude for the support, noting that it would provide thousands of meals to families in need.
The Oklahoma Pork Council and Smithfield Foods encourage other pork producers to consider contributing to the fight against hunger by donating food, funds, or time.
