"Click for a Cause" Donates 10,000 Pounds of Pork

The Pork Checkoff’s 14th annual National Eat Together Week (NETW) did more than promote the timeless tradition of quality family time around the dinner table. The “click for a cause” component of the 2009 event allowed America’s pork producers to donate 10,000 pounds of pork to families in need.

“Most pork producers have plenty of meat in their freezer, and I never realized how much of a problem hunger is here in America,” says Randy Brown, a pork producer from Nevada, Ohio, who serves on the National Pork Board.

The 10,000 pounds of pork that were donated are equivalent to about 50,000 meals. These donations were made possible when moms everywhere answered NETW spokesperson Niki Taylor’s invitation to log onto the new TheOtherWhiteMeat.com to find, print, and share great pork recipes.

Each NETW recipe clicked and shared that week equaled 5 pounds of pork to be donated to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, with network members supplying food to more than 25 million Americans each year.

“We are very excited that the ‘click for a cause’ component of NETW was a huge success,” says Pamela Johnson, director of consumer communications for the Pork Checkoff. “Donations were made to food banks in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Seattle. In Seattle, pork’s official blogger from PorkKnifeandSpoon.com, Shauna Ahern, helped spread the word. For the Phoenix donation, Retail Marketing Team Leader Patrick Fleming offered pork presence and assisted the donation.”

Brown represented the pork industry at the local food bank in Cleveland. Clad in a Pork Checkoff hat and shirt, he helped distribute the pork as the media covered the event.

“The food bank was tickled to death to receive the whole pork loins, and it makes you feel good that America’s pork producers can help such a worthy cause,” he says.

Pork offers ideal meal-time solution
While America’s pork producers have officially been encouraging families to enjoy meals together for years, eating together is more relevant than ever. According to a recent study from the Food Marketing Institute, 85 percent of consumers say they’re eating a home-cooked meal three or more times a week. What’s more, a recent article published in USA Today says Google reports that searches for “recipes” have far outpaced the rest of the “food and drink” category.

“Whether it’s dinner, breakfast or a weekend brunch, we encourage families to eat together whenever they can,” Johnson says. “Pork tastes great and is versatile and easy to prepare, making it an ideal meal solution for on-the-go families. In today’s challenging times, families can also feel good about choosing pork for its nutritional value, as well as its affordability.”