Thousands of Nestlé employees activate day of service events in local communities
Nestlé marks its third annual Nestlé Cares day of service, an effort that unites its eight operating companies in 47 states across the US to make a difference through more than 150 events nationwide.
This year, the brand will expand its work with Feeding America, one of the largest domestic hunger-relief organisation in the US, to support local food banks and non-profit organisations that provide nutritious foods to families in need.
This day of service is part of an exciting week at the company. On 31 July, the company hosted a neighbourhood celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony in Rosslyn, Virginia to mark the grand opening of its new US headquarters.
Near corporate offices and factory locations spanning from big cities to rural communities, more than 5,000 employees from the company are spending the day away from their typical work routine to volunteer. Some are preparing and serving meals for seniors, children and families in need. Others are helping to teach kids the importance of healthy eating or restoring and planting community gardens.
Planned events include sorting donations and building donation packages at local food banks in Arlington, Virginia; Solon, Ohio; Oakland, California; Bridgewater, New Jersey; and St Louis, Missouri; teaching a cooking class and leading an exercise class for kids in Washington, DC; helping bag and deliver food donations to seniors in Stamford, Connecticut; and packing nutritious summer meals for young children attending summer camp in Florham Park, New Jersey.
Nestlé employees will be sharing their day of service stories at these events – and many more – using the hashtag #WeAreNestle.
“Nestlé and our employees across the country take deep pride in our efforts to end hunger in our communities and in the world,” said Steve Presley, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé USA.
“As a business that strives to make each day better than the day before – for our consumers, our customers, our employees and our communities – we are proud to join Feeding America to help tackle the critical issue of hunger in America.”
Hunger affects millions of people in the United States, including one in six children. The company, who has been a Feeding America partner for more than 25 years, recognises this problem as a call to create positive change.
In the last five years alone the company has donated more than 100 million pounds of food and water to support more than 185 Feeding America food banks, including those in communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017.
“We have long valued our relationship with Nestlé, and we are excited to celebrate this partnership with this national day of service since summer is one of the most vulnerable times of the year for food security in the US,” said Matt Knott, President of Feeding America.
“Hunger is a complex issue that touches people from all walks of life, in every community across the country. But it does not start or stop with one day, and we know collaboration with partners like the company is crucial in addressing this issue year-round.”
The company’s annual day of service is part of its larger efforts to create a healthier future for its employees and consumers. It is committed to helping 50 million children worldwide live healthier lives by 2030 as part of its global Nestlé for Healthier Kids initiative; And, to combat the annual summer decline in donations to food banks, it most recently kicked off its Better Lives Food Drive campaign, which collected more than 52,000 pounds of employee-donated food, to-date.
