Eckrich® Donates $600,000 to Extra Yard for Teachers at College Football Playoff National Championship

ESPN's Marty Smith Makes Successful Football Throw to Win Donation

ATLANTA, Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eckrich®, the official Smoked Sausage and Deli Meat Sponsor of the College Football Playoff, welcomed ESPN sports journalist Marty Smith onto the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to participate in the Eckrich® $1 Million Challenge for Teachers during the CFP National Championship between Notre Dame and Ohio State. Smith successfully made the 10-yard winning throw, resulting in a donation of $600,000 for the CFP Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers initiative. 

Eckrich® has proudly supported educators for the past seven years.

Since 2018, Eckrich has supported the CFP Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers and has generously donated more than $3 million to educators across the country to provide their students with the opportunity for a better education and spotlight the great work they're doing in their communities. The partnership has brought talented educators to the spotlight as fans nominated their favorite teachers to step onto the field at local college games to attempt a throw at a target from 15 yards for a chance to win up to $1 million to fund their local schools.

While there was no winning throw this season, Eckrich® recognized each of the selected educators for their dedication to their students by providing the Extra Yard for Teachers with $2,500 at each local game, as well as $500 to a local retailer of the participating teachers, totaling $15,000 in donations and $3,000 in groceries.

"Partnering with Eckrich® again this year to help raise funds for College Football Playoff Foundation and the incredible teachers nationwide is an honor," said ESPN's Marty Smith. "Each year, I prepare for the challenge, to throw my best to support Extra Yard for Teachers and schools across the country."

"The Eckrich® $1 Million Challenge for Teachers is such an impactful initiative, and I am proud of this continued partnership to support teachers," said Britton Banowsky, executive director of the CFP Foundation. "Each year, this program has helped to raise needed funds for classroom resources and has allowed us to continue to recognize the important work of our educators nationwide."

"Eckrich® has proudly supported educators for the past seven years, and we would like to thank our partners at CFP and Extra Yard for Teachers for making a difference in the lives of students across the country," said Steve France, president, packaged meats for Smithfield Foods. "Teachers are instrumental in all of our communities, so to donate $3 million since the partnership began is extremely special to the Eckrich® brand."

Eckrich® also honored the winner of the Eckrich® Teacher of the Year, Karen Orta-Mena, a math teacher from Texas, with a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the 2025 CFP National Championship weekend, plus $5,000 to fund classroom projects.  

For more information about the Eckrich® $1 Million Challenge for Teachers and the Eckrich® National Teacher of the Year program, please visit www.Eckrich.com/teachers. For more information about Eckrich®, please visit www.Eckrich.com and follow Eckrich® on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.  

About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to one of the most recognized regional premium deli and meat brands on the market today. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care, and pride. For more information, visit www.Eckrich.com. and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter. Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods. 

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world.

About the College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The CFP Selection Committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the season. The 12 playoff participants consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and receive a first-round bye. The schools seeded five through eight will host those seeded nine through 12 in first-round games. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year's Playoff Quarterfinals took place on December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025, while the Playoff Semifinals were January 9-10, 2025. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit  CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.

About the College Football Playoff Foundation 
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and non-profits to support educators and improve student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education by elevating the teaching profession. The CFP Foundation inspires and empowers educators by focusing its work in four areas: recognition, resources, recruitment and retention, and professional development. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.  

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SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.