Publix, Hormel Foods Help Feed Georgians Through Hosea Helps

ATLANTA, GA — An estimated 1.7 million people in Georgia will experience food insecurity because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Feeding America. Hormel Foods Corporation and Publix have stepped in to help.

Hormel Foods and Publix donated more than 6,000 Hormel half hams — worth $85,000 — to Atlanta-based nonprofit Hosea Helps last week to help feed thousands of families in need in the metro during the pandemic. The donation was part of the Hormel Cure 81 Hams for Hunger program.

“Hormel Foods is proud to partner with Publix Super Markets to support hunger-relief efforts in the communities served by the company’s Publix Super Markets stores,” said Kelsey Tynan, Hormel Cure 81 brand manager at Hormel Foods. “The Hormel Cure 81 Hams for Hunger program highlights our relationship with Publix Super Markets, and we are honored to work together and make such a substantial contribution for those in need.”

Hams for Hunger, established in 1989, involves partnerships between Hormel Foods and grocery retailers across the U.S. Over the years, more than $15 million in hams have been donated, feeding tens of thousands of families.

Just last year alone, more than 55,000 hams were donated to those in need, for an estimated retail value of $1.1 million.

“At Publix Super Markets, we are passionate about alleviating hunger,” said Brenda Reid, community relations manager for Publix's Atlanta division. "We are proud to partner with Hormel Foods to provide hams to Hosea Helps, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening families in the metro Atlanta area."

Feeding America estimates that about 54 million people in the country may face food insecurity due to the pandemic, creating a greater need for donations and an opportunity for Hormel Foods to step in, Tynan said.

She said the program will give out even more hams than in 2020, as the company plans to donate more than 59,000 hams this year.

"Since the pandemic began to financially impact middle and low-income families, Hosea Helps has been able to help serve over 15,000 people," Tynan said. "We’re proud to be able to work with Publix to help Hosea Helps fulfill their mission."

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, about 42 million Americans may not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.