FARMER JOHN AWARDS $100,000 TO LOCAL CALIFORNIA NONPROFITS THROUGH ITS CALIFORNIA KINDNESS PROJECT

As an Extension of its California Commitment Tour, Farmer John Launched the Program to Provide Local Organizations with Financial Support Ranging from $3,000 to $25,000 Grants

VERNON, Calif., Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmer John is proud to present the recipients of its California Kindness Project – a grant program designed to support committed California nonprofits that are making an impact in their local communities. Whether newly founded in the midst of the pandemic or around for generations, Farmer John invited charities and organizations in California to apply for one of the grants so that the brand could help support organizations on their mission of improving the lives of local citizens. After receiving over 120 applications from charities and organizations in the Golden State, 10 organizations were carefully selected to receive grants ranging from $3,000 to $25,000, providing a total of $100,000 in financial support.

Farmer John launched the California Kindness Project in the summer of 2022 as an extension of year three of its California Commitment Tour – an initiative to feed, celebrate and serve residents across the state. During the tour, Farmer John made 3-4 stops per week with its food truck to deliver free grab-and-go lunches to Californians and essential businesses and donating much-needed protein to local food banks.

"We were so touched by all of the applications we received, and we feel honored to be able to support and shine a light on such deserving organizations making an impact locally," said Lauren Connelly, brand manager for Farmer John at Smithfield Foods. "Farmer John is dedicated to finding even more ways to invest in the great people of the Golden State, and the California Kindness Project gives us the opportunity to continue to show our appreciation for those who are demonstrating kindness in their communities."

2022 California Kindness Project Grant Recipients

A Future Superhero and Friends | Long Beach, California 
Alliance for Community Transformations Ethos Youth Center | Mariposa, California 
America SCORES Bay Area | San Francisco, California 
Cancer Support Community South Bay | Torrance, California  
Capital Storytelling | Sacramento, California 
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) | Sacramento, California 
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County | Santa Barbara, California 
Momentum WORK, Inc. | Carpinteria, California 
San Mateo County Health Foundation | San Mateo, California 
St. Francis Center | Los Angeles, California 

For more information, please visit CAKindnessProject.com, follow Farmer John on Facebook (@FarmerJohn), Instagram (@FarmerJohnLA), or Twitter (@FarmerJohnLA), and visit www.farmerjohn.com. Farmer John is a brand of Smithfield Foods. 

About Farmer John 
Serving Californians since 1931, Farmer John has pioneered a revolution in the supply of local flavorful meats. The journey began with Irish-American brothers Francis and Bernard Clougherty curing and selling pork bellies and smoked hams to local grocery stores and continues today with staples like breakfast sausage and hot dogs. This longstanding Southern California brand remains committed to crafting the highest quality meats full of freshness and flavor. For more information on our products and recipe inspiration, please visit www.farmerjohn.com or follow us on Facebook (@FarmerJohn), Instagram (@FarmerJohnLA) or Twitter (@FarmerJohnLA). Farmer John is a brand of Smithfield Foods. 

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.  
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. With more than 60,000 jobs globally, we are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.^®" and serve as one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30% across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield^®, Eckrich^® and Nathan's Famous^®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

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SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.