Bring Food to the Park Ya'll

The Washington Nationals Annual Food Drive is this weekend during the Battle of the Beltways series with the Baltimore Orioles. 

We would like to encourage ALL fans to bring non-perishable food items to Nationals Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 22-23.  

Volunteers will be outside of the Center Field Gate on Saturday from 2:00 p.m. through the 4th inning and on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. through the 4th inning.  Canned vegetables, soups, dried pasta, rice and paper products are suggested items.

To kick off the food drive, Food Network star and Smithfield Foods spokesperson Paula Deen will participate in two events at Nationals Park today prior to the game against the New York Mets.

Washington Nationals players and First Ladies Sean and Jessica Burnett, Adam and Rachel Dunn, Wil and Yormarie Nieves, and John Lannan and Maryanne Garry will help to deliver more than 100,000 servings of donated food to the Capital Area Food Bank as part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes initiative.

Paula Deen will also host a VIP Military Reception from 5-6:00 p.m. with Smithfield Foods on the Nats Park Rooftop Party Deck.

As Paula Deen would say, "Bring Food to the Park Ya'll!"

Paula Deen, the "Queen of Southern Cuisine," recently joined Smithfield Foods' 10-city "Helping Hungry Homes" tour across America to provide one million servings of meat to the nation's hungry families.

The 10-city tour was just one part of Smithfield Foods' Helping Hungry Homes initiative which works with food banks, schools and community groups, and in the wake of natural disasters to support families faced with food insecurity issues. More than 35 million people live in households considered to be food insecure, including 22.9 million adults and 12.6 million children (From Smithfield Foods' website).

Photo Courtesy of Smithfield Foods