With so many pressing needs in our communities, can one day of volunteering really make a difference? You bet it can. And C&S volunteers are living proof. Each year, hundreds of our employees take action on “Make a Difference Day.” They pack groceries at food banks, clean up parks, paint recreation centers, stock shelves at a community kitchen, and more. And at the end of the day, the world is a just a little better.
I’ve rolled up my sleeves alongside my colleagues on Make A Difference Day since 2003 and have seen the connections and have felt the celebration that happens when neighbors help neighbors. Some of our projects have been small, some of them have been transformative. All of them have brought us closer as a team, and given us the sense of accomplishment that comes when a group of people lend a hand together and get things done. Our projects have involved sweat, concentration, laughter and purpose.
This year we tackled 19 different projects at community-based organizations where we do business. To name a few of the organizations we partnered with: Habitat for Humanity in New York, a homeless shelter in Hawaii, a children’s hospital in Alabama, food banks in Maryland, Pennsylvania and California, and a Ronald McDonald House in South Carolina.
Another wonderful aspect of our participation in Make A Difference Day is that our company covers the cost of all supplies needed to accomplish projects….it wouldn’t be right if the nonprofit groups were impacted financially, now would it? So we reimburse for items like paint and rollers, bushes and flowers, lumber or whatever was needed to make the project happen.
While it means a lot to me to give back on this special day of service I know we are also having a business impact. Our volunteerism initiatives like Make A Difference Day and Dollars for Doers offer the following business benefits:
- Create healthier communities
- Attract talented employees to C&S
- Strengthen relationships with regulatory officials
- Improve employee morale and satisfaction level
- Enhance pubic image of C&S
- Provide training and teamwork opportunities for employees
- Align with C&S brand and values
- Establish community networks
We all have talents, skills and time to give. I believe we have the opportunity to make a difference by volunteering and getting involved whether in groups, as families or as individuals. Let’s keep the momentum going to make a difference, to serve, and to be hands on!
Gina Goff has the wonderful job of creating the vision, strategic direction and alignment of community involvement initiatives across C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest wholesale food distributor in the United States. She leads pro-active philanthropic investments including financial, in-kind and service-based in four core focus areas: HUNGER, Children & Community, Environment, and Volunteerism-Civic Action.
