LISLE, Ill., June 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thanks to Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats and a brand of Smithfield Foods, Army National Guard Specialist Justin Green and his family were honored by chart-topping, Platinum-selling country music star Randy Houser Thursday night at the Kick The Dust Up Tour stop at TFC Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
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SPC Green and his family were escorted backstage before the show to meet the country singer who surprised the family with a gift card for $1,000 in free groceries at Cub Foods, courtesy of Eckrich. Houser then took the stage and wowed the crowd with his signature powerhouse vocals and a hit-filled set that included the smash hits "How Country Feels," "Runnin' Outta Moonlight," "Goodnight Kiss" and "Like A Cowboy," as well as Houser's brand new single from a forthcoming album, "We Went."
The gift of groceries at Cub and the opportunity to meet one of country music's most popular entertainers are part of the Eckrich's campaign to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Houser is in his second year of helping Eckrich pay tribute to military families by hosting and honoring them at his concerts. A longtime supporter of the military and their families, Houser has also performed for service members stationed in Iraq and at an Operation Homefront Village in Gaithersburg, Md.
"Any time we can do something to support our military and show them how much we appreciate them is special to me," commented Houser. "These families have sacrificed so much so I can go out and perform and do what I love. It was great to meet the Green family, hear their story and have them enjoy the concert courtesy of my partner, Eckrich."
Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has already donated more than $750,000 to the charity since 2012. Eckrich is again donating up to $250,000 this year through the contribution of five cents from each purchase of specially marked products from now through July 4. By the end of this year's fundraising period, the expected total donation will surpass $1 million.
"Like Eckrich, Cub Foods and Randy are great supporters of our military families," said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. "We are thankful for their service and are honored to surprise them with an exciting experience backstage with Randy Houser and $1,000 in free groceries at Cub."
For more information about Eckrich and "Operation Inspiration" please visit www.facebook.com/EckrichMeats.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com.
About Cub Foods
Cub Foods offers customers the freshest produce, widest selection and food expertise throughout the store to meet their everyday grocery needs. In addition to innovative local, ethnic and organic food sections, Cub stores offer shoppers multiple in-store services, including fresh bakery, full-service deli and meat departments, pharmacy and banking. Cub Foods, based in Stillwater, Minn., was established in 1968 as one of the nation's first discount grocery stores. Cub was purchased in 1980 by SUPERVALU and currently operates 78 stores in Minnesota and Illinois. For company news and information, follow Cub on Twitter at @CubFoods and Facebook at www.facebook.com/Cub, or visit www.Cub.com.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan's Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly's®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.
About Randy Houser
With an inimitable voice the New York Times describes as "wholly different, thicker and more throbbing, a caldron bubbling over," Randy Houser racked up three consecutive No. 1 hits and more than three million in singles sales to date with his Stoney Creek Records album, How Country Feels. He topped the charts with the title track, "Runnin' Outta Moonlight" and "Goodnight Kiss" (also his first No. 1 as a songwriter) and earned critical acclaim for his powerful delivery of the Top 5 smash, "Like A Cowboy." Houser's new single, "We Went," is available at country radio and digital retailers now, with a new album forthcoming. He is currently touring with Luke Bryan on the Kick The Dust Up Tour. For more information, visit www.RandyHouser.com.
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
