Eckrich®, Albertsons Safeway, and Extra Yard for Teachers Team Up to Support Local Schools
$50,000 Donated to Fund School Projects
Mesa, Ariz. – (November 14, 2019) – Eckrich®, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and perfectly seasoned deli meats, has collaborated with Albertsons Safeway and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers initiative to support the Mesa area school district school with a $50,000 donation to fully fund school projects.
The various projects, from STEM resources and school supplies, to enhanced learning environments, will be fulfilled through DonorsChoose.org based on teachers' requests for the Mesa school district.
“Eckrich is proud to support the local schools of Mesa by encouraging their positive impact on the community through funding school projects,” said Elizabeth Di John, senior director of marketing for Smithfield Foods. “Giving back to the community is part of our brand heritage, and we are excited about the opportunity to continue this tradition through the donation made today.”
“We’re so honored to partner with the Eckrich brand to support the local Mesa schools,” said Natalie Jenkins with the CFP Foundation. “It is our privilege to be a part of this opportunity to fulfill the requests of much-needed school projects.”
“Albertsons is delighted to serve the residents of Mesa and is proud to be a part of this donation to support our local schools and their students,” said Mike Cefaloni, District Manager for Albertsons. “We’re fortunate to have fantastic community-focused partners such as Eckrich and Extra Yard for Teachers who support our efforts to give back.”
Eckrich presented the donation at the grand opening of the Safeway store location on South Signal Butte Road in Mesa, where the Eastmark High School Band entertained attendees.
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. Popular brands include Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan’s Famous®, Farmland®, Armour®, Farmer John®, Kretschmar®, John Morrell®, Cook’s®, Gwaltney®, Carando®, Margherita®, Curly’s®, Healthy Ones®, Morliny®, Krakus®, and Berlinki®. 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, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to one of the most recognized deli and smoked sausage brands on the market today. 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. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods, Inc.
About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The CFP Foundation is the community investment arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.
About Albertsons Companies
Locally great and nationally strong, Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States. Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal kit company Plated based in New York City. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2018 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company gave over $262 million in food and financial support. These efforts helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities and veterans outreach.
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