Missouri food bank receives 35K pounds of pork

COLUMBIA, Mo. — More than 35,000 pounds of pork have been donated to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri as part of a push to end hunger and increase food security.

The Columbia Missourian reported Smithfield Foods and Schnuck Markets donated the pork Wednesday as part of the Helping Hungry Homes initiative. A 2016 report from the food bank states about one in six people are food insecure in central and northeast Missouri.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.”

The food bank said the donation meets the protein needs of nearly 71,500 people for one day.

Almost 60 food banks nationwide will receive pork donations from Helping Hungry Homes.