LISLE, Ill., Oct. 31, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, and Stop & Shop honored a local military family. The Cosmo family, a family of five from Dartmouth, Mass., was surprised prior to the start of the Boston College home football game with one year of free groceries at Stop & Shop, courtesy of Eckrich.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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After the free grocery presentation, valued at over $13,500, Eckrich, the Cosmo family and a representative from Stop & Shop were escorted onto the field in front of 40,000 fans for the opportunity to earn an additional $5,000 in free groceries.
During the first quarter of the game, the family watched as Stop & Shop District Director Dan Cramer attempted five passes into a target five yards away. Eckrich provided an additional $1,000 in free groceries to the Cosmo family for each successful attempt. With thousands of fans cheering for the family, Cramer completed two passes, making the total grocery donation valued at $15,500.
The gift of free groceries and the opportunity to attend the football game is part of the ongoing campaign by Eckrich to honor, thank and support military families through its partnership with Operation Homefront, a national non-profit whose mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families.
U.S. Army Sergeant Jon Cosmo entered the military in 2002 and is still active with the 379th Engineer Group in Buzzards Bay, Mass. SGT Cosmo has completed two tours in Afghanistan and was awarded the Purple Heart in 2010. He and his wife, Athena, have three young sons, and he is currently studying to become an aircraft mechanic.
“The gift from Eckrich of free groceries for one year will help our family tremendously,” said SGT Cosmo. “Thank you to Eckrich, Stop & Shop and Operation Homefront for supporting our family in this special way.”
Eckrich, in its fourth year of partnership with Operation Homefront, has surpassed $1 million in donations since 2012.
“Eckrich is dedicated to honoring military families for their service and sacrifice,” said Chuck Gitkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Smithfield Foods. “Like Eckrich, Stop & Shop is dedicated to this cause, and we are proud to have them join us in this tribute. On behalf of Eckrich, it is our privilege to honor the Cosmo family during the Eagles’ game with one year of free groceries and an additional $2,000 in free groceries.”
For more information, please visit www.eckrich.com. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. 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
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 with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook’s®, John Morrell®, Gwaltney®, Nathan’s Famous®, Kretschmar®, Margherita®, Curly’s®, Carando® and Healthy Ones®. 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.
About Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 92 percent of Operation Homefront’s expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.
About Stop & Shop
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs approximately 59,000 associates and operates 395 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children’s educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA’s Smart Way program; has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores; and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit http://www.stopandshop.com.
CONTACT: Contacts: Laura Pugh Breaking Limits for Eckrich 2137 South Blvd., Suite 200 Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Direct: 704-766-9074 Cell: 704-728-4091 E-Mail: [email protected]