Carolina West Wireless Contributes to Samaritan’s Kitchen Back Pack for Kids Program
April 21, 2011
Carolina West Wireless (CWW), as part of a local community outreach initiative through its Employee Activities Committee (EAC), recently delivered over 550 pounds of food to Samaritan’s Kitchen for distribution through their “Backpack for Kids” program.
CWW employees raised approximately $800 through an “employee appreciation cookout” using the proceeds to purchase food for the program at Wal-Mart in Wilkesboro. CWW employees also donated food for the program.
In addition, Carolina West Wireless CEO, Slayton Stewart, donated a check for $1600 to Samaritan’s Kitchen, which doubled the total of the proceeds raised and the food donated by CWW employees.
“It was just overwhelming and awesome, I can’t say thank you enough. I was just speechless,” said Julie A Smith, Operations Manager for Samaritan’s Kitchen.
“Our most difficult challenges are collecting the product and raising the funds to purchase the products we need. Carolina West Wireless went over and beyond what we expected and we’re just totally in awe and thankful.”
The food was delivered to Samaritan’s Kitchen and stocked on shelves Monday afternoon for distribution later in the week. Several CWW employees along with employees from Kohl’s, Lowe’s Companies and a local high school volunteer joined the staff of Samaritan’s Kitchen on Wednesday morning to assemble the bags for pick up.
“I’m very proud of Carolina West Wireless and our employees who really stepped up and came together for the benefit of such a worthy cause,” said Jude O’Sullivan, Vice President of Operations for Carolina West Wireless. “We saw a need in our county and as a member of the local business community, felt it was our responsibility to help by giving back.
“It was an inspirational and eye opening experience for us all,” continued O’Sullivan. “The folks at Samaritan’s Kitchen were wonderful to work with and should be commended for what they’re doing. I highly recommend to anyone—individuals and local businesses alike in our county to volunteer in support of this organization and all it’s trying to accomplish.”
Samaritan’s Kitchen is a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes donated foods and
beverages to approximately 500 students in Wilkes County from kindergarten through high school, providing them enough food to last throughout a weekend.
Many students in Wilkes, in spite of their enrollment in a school lunch program, may not have enough food to eat over a weekend. Guidance counselors pick up the food from Samaritan’s Kitchen distributing it to students at their respective schools once a week, ensuring each student in need receives enough food in their backpacks for three meals per day.
“To have volunteers from three different companies working together was amazing, and their involvement will truly make an impact on a child’s life,” said Smith.
“For some of these children it basically means having food or not having food. Their parents may have lost a job or are down on their luck and they simply don’t have the means to provide a meal for them, so this could be the difference in having something to eat or not.
“Some of these kids are literally hungry when they leave school. You know we say we’re ‘hungry’ or ‘starving’ but these kids really are. It affects their school work, their grades and their overall outlook socially and physically as well as their self worth, so to be able to relieve some of that pressure through providing them a meal means the world.”
Contact:
800 235-5007
