LISLE, Ill., Oct. 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It was a special morning at Kroger in Galloway, Ohio, as Eckrich, Kroger and former tight end Jake Ballard honored a local military family. Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats and a brand of Smithfield Foods, presented the Jordan family with $5,000 in free groceries at Kroger, courtesy of Eckrich.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c6a5ecb-10bd-42aa-a121-83b08900ee50.
Ballard, a true champion on and off the field, spent his college years as a tight end at OSU. In 2010, he went on to play professionally, and brought home a Super Bowl title. Ballard was a welcome addition to the special event this morning, as he helped honor the Jordan family with the gift of groceries.
“This campaign, started by Eckrich, to honor and support military families, is truly a game changer,” said Ballard. “Being able to present the Jordan family with $5,000 in free groceries is an honor, as they deserve all the thanks and support we can give.”
The gift of groceries is 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, has surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.
Corporal James (Edward) Jordan served in the Army from 2002-2004 as an infantryman. He received a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained in Iraq. His wife, Sara, participates in Operation Homefront’s Hearts of Valor program as his caregiver. James (Edward) and Sara have four children.
"Today was another special day for Eckrich and a deserving military family,” said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. "Our partners at Kroger share in our commitment to honor, thank and support military families across the U.S. and we are pleased to honor the Jordan family together with $5,000 in free groceries."
For more information about Eckrich 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 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.
The photo is also available at AP PhotoExpress.