Columbia Cares teamed with Building Impact, a nonprofit that delivers a variety of volunteer opportunities, to supplement employees’ current means to give back. Our first event was a Columbia hosted food drive to help fight hunger for children during the summer months.

When the school year ends, for tens of thousands of local children the last bell of the year causes more stress than summer celebration. For them, the close of school does not mean a few months of fun and relaxation. It means they may be at risk of hunger. Many families rely heavily on food banks to help them provide breakfast and lunch for their children. With the support of Building Impact, Columbia’s food drive will benefit Action for Boston Community Development and the Natick Food Bank.

“Many may not realize that for some children, going to school means they can count on getting a nutritious meal. When school isn’t in session, they experience a lack of food and varying degrees of hunger. I was one of those kids. I loved going to school because of sports and my friends, but a big factor was to ensure I got a meal. Food drives such as this go such a long way to fill the gap.”

- Shaun Lover, President of Columbia Construction Company

During Columbia’s recent food drive, employees donated over $1000 worth of food items. We were overwhelmed by the response, knowing these efforts will help so many families in need of healthy meals in the Boston and MetroWest communities.
 
If you’re inspired to give, or didn’t have a chance to donate during Columbia’s food drive, the links to the two pantry beneficiaries are ABCD and A Place to Turn.