Photo Release -- Military Family Honored by Eckrich, FoodMaxx and Country Music Star Randy Houser

Eckrich Surprises O'Neel Family with $1,000 in Free Groceries


LISLE, Ill., Aug. 31, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thanks to Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, and FoodMaxx, a local military family was honored by chart-topping, Platinum-selling country music star Randy Houser before his concert in San Francisco, Calif.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=35702.

The O'Neel family was a guest of Eckrich and Houser, who is currently touring with Luke Bryan on the Kick The Dust Up Tour and is in his second year working with Eckrich to support military families. The family was surprised when Houser presented them with $1,000 in free groceries at FoodMaxx, 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."

"It was an honor to meet the O'Neel family and welcome them backstage at the concert; they are a true inspiration," said Houser. "They have sacrificed so much so that I can stand on stage and do what I love. I am grateful for the opportunity to thank them for their service and present them with $1,000 in free groceries to FoodMaxx on behalf of my friends at Eckrich."

O'Neel left his job on September 11, 2001 after hearing news of the terror attacks and enlisted in the Army that same day. During his service, he completed two tours in Iraq.

The gift of groceries and meeting Houser are part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront, a national non-profit whose mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families.

Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, recently surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.

"Like Eckrich, FoodMaxx and Randy Houser are great supporters of our military families," said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. "We are proud to show our appreciation with this once-in-a-lifetime moment at the concert and $1,000 in free groceries."

For more information about Eckrich please visit www.facebook.com/EckrichMeats. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

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 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.

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 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 at AP Photo Express.



            
Randy Houser & O'Neel Family

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