Wilmington food bank receives large donation

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina has been providing food for the hungry for more than 30 years. Today it received some extra help.

When the Smithfield Foods truck pulled up to the food bank in Wilmington, it brought along with it more than 25,000 pounds of protein. The donation is part of the company’s Helping Hungry Homes program. Along with the protein, Smithfield employees also donated perishable items to the food bank to further help make a difference in North Carolina.

“It will go a long way in supporting the more than 75,000 food insecure folks in the Wilmington region,” Food Bank Branch Director Beth Gaglione said.

Along with the donation in Wilmington, Smithfield also donated food to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Greenville today. The donations for both locations totaled to more than 80,000 pounds of food.

In addition to the donations, Smithfield will collect items and raise awareness at the 2016 North Carolina Muscadine Harvest Festival this weekend.