Drive to End Hunger; Petty Puts Mouth Where Gordon's Money Is

We constantly see the AARP "Drive to End Hunger" sponsorship splashed across Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports car and Hendrick announced this week a renewal of the sponsorship.

While that hunger initiative has garnered headlines the past several seasons, Richard Petty and sponsor Smithfield Foods have been a little more hands on fighting hunger.

It was nice to see the Elmira Gazette feature the Petty sponsorship to end hunger in a more hands-on venture.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

we all know the "King" as a friendly, kind and generous man....may he reign forever...thanks Dave.

Yes, thanks Dave for sharing this. I've sort of always questioned if the "Drive to End Hunger" was getting more money from the $20 million or so advertising on the 24 than they were spending with all that promotion. Guess they must be if they have re-upped. Richard is looking good these days.

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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

It disturbs me that they call this a protein donation. What's in those boxes? Is it meat or bone meal or soylent green or what? I think AARP could feed a lot of hungry people with that 20 million plus whatever they spend to publicize it elsewhere.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

Actually, from what I read, the protein boxes contain hams and fresh pork products and have been distributed by Smithfield (with RPM helping draw publicity) 40,000 pounds at a time to food banks all over the country - including our current hometowns of Greensboro & Charlotte this year. Nearly every NASCAR race market has been included this year in conjunction with a local supermarket chain. The same program was done in the Pocono region the week before Watkins Glen with the Pennsylvania-based Martin's chain as the participating partner. This program has been running since about 2008.

The statement below comes from a Smithfield Foods fact sheet about the program:

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

I'm wondering if Smithfield Foods is contributing product to the North Carolina Education Lottery, judging from the NC Lottery's current television commercial?

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"