WICHITA, Kan. — Area agencies that help fight hunger in Reno County are getting a big boost thanks to a large donation to the Kansas Food Bank.

Smithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes® initiative, a program focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure, joined forces with Dillons Food Stores to donate more than 35,000 pounds of protein to the Kansas Food Bank.

The donation, equivalent to more than 140,000 servings, will help families fight hunger across Kansas where one in eight individuals are food insecure. In Reno County, the Kansas Food Bank provides services to the Reno County Food Bank, the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Center Shelters, Street Light Ministries in Arlington, Mt. Olivet Worship Center in Hutchinson, the Pretty Prairie Food Pantry and the school Backpack programs in Hutchinson, Buhler, Pretty Prairie, and Langdon.

Smithfield and Dillons representatives presented the donation to the Kansas Food Bank at the event this morning. Members of all three organizations discussed food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation in helping the more than 200,000 individuals who face hunger each day across the food bank’s service area.

Smithfield’s donation to the Kansas Food Bank was part of the Helping Hungry Homes® 2017 nationwide donation tour. Throughout the annual tour, Smithfield will provide large-scale protein donations to nearly 60 food banks across the country. This donation adds to the more than 65 million servings of protein donated since 2011.