Each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day serves as a call to action, reminding all of us of Dr. King’s legacy of service and the importance of building stronger communities, together. Dr. King said that “everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.”
Each year, in honor of MLK Day, our Community Relations team organizes multiple volunteer opportunities in January for employees across the United States to celebrate his life and legacy.
“This truly is a day on, rather than a day off,” said Jessie Cannon, vice president of Community Relations. “It’s great to start the new year with a focus on service — something that is deeply meaningful to employees all year round. Service is woven into our culture and allows each of us to live our mission of improving the lives of people every day. Through collective action, our employees are helping to create stronger, more connected communities.”
Across the country, employees at our distribution centers in Deland, Florida; Elgin, Illinois; Glendale Heights, Illinois; Syracuse, New York; Greenwood, South Carolina; and Wheeling, West Virginia, volunteered to help support local food banks and homeless shelters. Employees decorated bags with illustrations and words of kindness, then filled them with nonperishable, healthy foods and personal hygiene products. Collectively, these employees filled 660 bags for people in their local communities.
“This was a great experience,” said Jim Ferns, a manager of quality compliance in the Syracuse facility. “Not only did we support a wonderful local organization with much needed supplies, but we came together as a team, fostering collaboration and camaraderie to do it.”
Jimmy Vicery, director of operations in the Greenwood facility said, “Volunteering was a great opportunity to give back to our local community. It was rewarding to watch our team take the time to decorate bags with artwork and words of encouragement, and it showcased that we could have an impact on the community around us, and that even a small effort matters.”
In Central Ohio, employees volunteered onsite at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio, an organization whose mission is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. Employees assembled art bags with canvases, paint, paint brushes and trays, and even aprons, for those the organization serves. “The youth who receive these art bags are going to love them,” said Alonda Hicks, a supervisor in facilities management. “Kids love showcasing their coloring and painting skills, and the supplies in the bags will help them create some great art projects.”
Olivia Goodrich, a senior analyst in global sourcing in Central Ohio, said, “I chose to volunteer because it felt like the proper way to honor Dr. King’s legacy of service and community. I’m fortunate to have the time and ability to give back, and I feel that if we’re able to support our community, we should.”
Our employee volunteers addressed critical community needs, and, at the same time, strengthened connections between colleagues and community partners. “Thank you to all our volunteers for honoring Dr. King through service this month and beyond to help support our communities,” said Cannon.