Winn-Dixie, Smithfield Foods, donate 30,000 pounds of protein

Food goes to Feeding Northeast Florida, will serve more than 120,000

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Smithfield Foods has partnered with Winn-Dixie to donate more than 30,000 pounds of protein to Feeding Northeast Florida.

Volunteers helped unload a large truck filled with meats like chicken, beef and pork. It's a part of the Helping Hungry Homes tour to help distribute more protein, which is a limited resource for most food banks. Many areas of Northeast Florida are registered food deserts and Feeding Northeast Florida will distribute the food to other local food pantries. The organizations and volunteers say giving back is a great way to spend their Valentine's Day.

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"It gives us a chance to look at love beyond just simply trying to have a nice card and pretty flowers," Dennis Pittman, director of hunger relief for Smithfield Foods said. "Food is just as nice a gift to give anyone, especially when someone doesn't know where their next meal is coming from."

The food donated today equals to more than 120,000 servings that will help families in northeast Florida.

"Hunger has a ripple effect across a number of different things," Luke Layow, president and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida. "It affects children's performance in school, it affects crime, it affects employment and work productivity. The more balanced of a meal we can provide to a family, the greater impact it's going to have."