LISLE, Ill., April 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, partnered with Lipari Foods and Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families, to honor a Hamburg, Mich. military family on Tuesday evening.
Eckrich hosted a special presentation to honor, thank and support the James family during a dinner held by Lipari Foods before their 2016 Food Show in Novi, Mich. Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron, a first round pick in the 2014 draft, was a guest at the event and presented the family with a gift of free groceries for one year, courtesy of Eckrich. Lipari Foods gave the family an additional gift of new kitchen appliances.
“This is a great event to give back to the James family and you could see the happiness in their reaction,” said Ebron. “They have sacrificed so we can enjoy our freedom and I can play the sport I love. That’s something special. I’m glad that I could join Eckrich to help give back to them.”
Infantry Sergeant Jeffery James served in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq twice. He sustained injuries when his tank was hit by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and he suffers from a traumatic brain injury and severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Jeffery and his wife, Kristine, have been married for 16 years and have three children. Kristine is a member of the Hearts of Valor® program.
“Our families sacrifice a lot more than people realize,” said Jeffery. “I was away for a lot of special moments. When I was gone, she did it all. She sacrificed a lot and it’s great to see someone recognize our entire family.”
The surprise is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront. The James family is supported by Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor® program, a network of caregivers for wounded, ill or injured service members. Operation Homefront supports these caregivers through annual retreats, support groups and online communities.
Eckrich, entering its fifth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has donated more than $2 million to the organization since 2012. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
“Eckrich continues to thank, support and honor our military families across the country,” said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. “We appreciate Lipari Foods’ partnership in this event. We thank the James family for their service and are proud to present them with one year of free groceries.”
For more information about Eckrich, please visit www.eckrich.com.
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 $14 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.