SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP -- A whole lot of ham! They called it the ham-brigade on Friday at a supermarket in Lackawanna County, and it was all food for those in need.
There was ham, bacon and more for area food banks, all a part of national hunger awareness month.
Thousands and thousands of pounds of protein, 30,000 to be exact, all being donated through the 'ham-brigade' to help feed hungry families in northeastern Pennsylvania.
“It is absolutely wonderful. We got started doing this three years ago, we have been from Alaska to Florida making these deliveries, and it’s wonderful to be able to support the great folks and the food banks across this country,” said Dennis Pittman, Smithfield Director of Corporate Communications.
Pittman said the donation of pork, ham, bacon and more at the Weis Market near Clarks Summit will go to Weinberg Regional Food Bank in Luzerne County.
It also is generating attention during national hunger awareness month.
“It helps people understand the issue of hunger. It helps with food drives, it helps with people donating, but it’s also important that people understand, hunger really does exist here in northeastern Pennsylvania unfortunately," said Gene Brady of Weinberg Regional Food Bank
“It really brings you back and lets you know how fortunate you are because it`s fun to laugh and joke, and at the end of the day know you`re doing some great things for a bunch of people," said Kurt Schertle, executive vice president of sales and merchandising of Weis Markets.
Each of the hams that were donated will feed up to 10 or more people and be into homes within weeks.
“It goes quite a ways. It`s going to help literally hundreds of families that are in need in our area where there is such a high rate, unfortunately, of children that are hungry," said Brady.
A total of about 120,000 servings of protein will reach tables in several northeastern counties which is a big jump-start for food pantries in our area.
“It`s huge with the way the economy is today. We love doing it, and we should do it," said Schertle.