Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q announced that it continued and extended its community relations and support with a non-profit partnership from the communities in which its serves. The restaurant group will provide SAFEchild, a Raleigh, North Carolina–based organization, with food for its PLUS program graduation ceremonies, as well as a monthly meal for the Crianza Con Carino program.
Both of these programs continue the goals of SAFEchild in working with parents, families, and caregivers to create nurturing environments for children, free from abuse and neglect. The Parents Learning, Understanding, Sharing (PLUS) program uses children’s literature to encourage cooperation and helps families develop good communication skills and manage stress and anger during a 12-week program. The Crianza Con Carino program is a 12–24-week family education program that blends child-rearing information with social supports to strengthen Spanish-speaking families living in Wake County.
“A 14 percent reduction to this year’s budget affected SAFEchild’s ability to provide the types of nutritious meals we like to for the families in our group programs,” says Marjorie Menestres, executive director at SAFEchild. “Thanks to the generosity of community partners like Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q, we are able to offer our families the opportunity to sit down together for a good meal before their group session begins.”
“SAFEchild is thrilled to have been chosen as a community partner by Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q. SAFEchild has been committed to eliminating child abuse in Wake County by helping adults and children create nurturing environments free from abuse and neglect since 1992,” Menestres says.
“Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q is a family-owned company that embraces the importance and value of family in our communities,” says Richard Averitte, marketing director for Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q. “The programs that SAFEchild has created in our area are helping to improve the lives of so many. We are truly honored to have the opportunity to help support them and the families they are serving.”
