[September 21, 2017]

Carl Buddig & Company Donates 250,000 Pounds of Meat to Chicagoans in Need

Every day, more than 42 million people face hunger in the United States, and in Chicago's Cook County, the Greater Chicago Food Depository reports that as many as 1 in 6 people turn to a food pantry, soup kitchen or shelter. In honor of Hunger Action Month this September, Carl Buddig & Company will partner with the Food Depository for the third consecutive year to raise awareness of this ongoing problem and provide food to those in need.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170921006032/en/

The Buddig family volunteers at The Greater Chicago Food Depository to sort and re-pack food for distribution. (Photo: Business Wire)

Carl Buddig and Company is donating over 250,000 pounds of chicken and pork products, valued at over $650,000, to help feed Chicago families. Animal protein is in high demand for food banks because it is donated much less frequently than other, less expensive foods. In fact, protein typically only represents 1 percent of total distributions through food bankslike the Food Depository.

"Donated protein is always in demand as we respond to hunger throughout Chicago and Cook County," said Sheila Creghin, vice president of operations at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. "We are thankful to Carl Buddig & Company for the Share A Lunch partnership, which is resulting in more food for our neighbors in need and heightened awareness of hunger across our community."

Post a Photo, Share a Lunch

To help get even more protein to the food banks, Buddig asks customers to #ShareALunch this September on social media. For every lunch photo posted with the hashtag, Buddig will also donate one package of lunchmeat to the Food Depository.

As a family-owned and -operated company for nearly 75 years, Buddig values the importance of family traditions, especially mealtimes. "Giving back to the community is a company value," said Tom Buddig, executive vice president of marketing, Carl Buddig & Company. "The Share A Lunch program has been a very successful way to directly provide what the food banks need most, while also raising awareness of hunger nationwide."

In addition to the food donations, the Buddig family and company employees will volunteer at the Food Depository this month to repackage bulk food so it can be easily distributed to individuals and families.

About Carl Buddig & Company

Based in Homewood, Illinois, Carl Buddig & Company has been feeding family traditions for nearly 75 years with the very best in taste, variety and convenience. Carl Buddig & Company is the family-owned parent company of Buddig lunchmeat, Old Wisconsin^® hardwood-smoked sausage and snack products, and CBQ pre-cooked ribs and barbecue entrees. Buddig offers an assortment of quality, thin-sliced lean meats for sandwiches, snacks and special recipes including Buddig Original, Premium Deli and Fix Quix^® products. Old Wisconsin sausage and meat snack products are handcrafted and smoked over real hardwood fires. CBQ offers restaurant-quality, ready-to-eat barbecued meats, ribs and heat-and-serve entrees. To learn more, visit www.buddig.com and www.oldwisconsin.com.

About The Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository, founded in 1979, makes a daily impact across Cook County with a network of 700 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile programs, children's programs, older adult programs and innovative responses that address the root causes of hunger. Last year, the Food Depository distributed more than 71 million pounds of shelf-stable food, fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of 164,000 meals every day. For more information, visit chicagosfoodbank.org or call 773-247-FOOD.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170921006032/en/

[ Back To Mobile World Congress's Homepage ]