Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Sysco Chicago Donates $15,000 to Support the Foundation
Sysco Chicago recently donated $15,000 to support Des Plaines Community Foundation (DPCF) programs. The donation was a result of the Sysco Chicago's 'Nourishing Neighbors' initiative for community outreach in the City of Des Plaines.
"Nourishing Neighbors is an endeavor that directs Sysco's charitable donations primarily to local agencies working to get healthy and nutritious food where it's needed," said Gary Salvestrini, president at Sysco Chicago. "We care for people by giving back, doing well and changing lives in our communities."
According to Rosemary Argus, the executive director of the Foundation, a donation of this magnitude goes a long way to enhance our programs that provide direct services to those in need.
"We are honored that Sysco Chicago chose to support the vital work we do in the community to heal and strengthen the lives of children and families," said Argus.
"We are fortunate to have such a support system of sponsors, friends and family that have come together to help the DPCF initiatives."
Sysco Chicago commits a portion of Sysco Brand sales to partner with local organizations in the fight against hunger.
"Our goal is to position 75 percent of charitable giving and volunteerism in the hunger and feeding space," said Salvestrini.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors delivers on about 500 requests for help from Des Plaines residents in need every year. The NHN Program links community volunteers with residents in need of transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, yard and home care, installation of emergency response boxes, wheelchair ramps and decks.
Volunteers also provide transportation to Des Plaines residents. All residents have to do is call the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Hot Line (1-888-646-8898) and request help.
For every $1 we receive, the Des Plaines Community Foundation provides $12 of service to our residents. The DPCF is able to do this because they are all volunteers.
"We also are looking to add more people to our network of volunteers," said Argus. "As we grow as an organization and during these hard economic times it is important that we get more people to volunteer their time for the Foundation."
The DPCF raises funds to identify, link and mobilize assets to support the service programs of the Des Plaines Healthy Community Partnership Programs whose activities improve the lives of those that live and work in Des Plaines.
The Des Plaines Community Foundation recently donated $10,000 to area food pantries. The donations were split between three local food pantries.
"Our Foundation donates to all the local pantries as well as many of the religious organizations that provide meals during the week for the needy of Des Plaines," said Argus.
Every year the DPCF and Sysco Chicago have worked together to provide, cook and deliver Thanksgiving Day dinners. As a result, more than 200 families, homebound seniors and people with disabilities have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
According to Argus, turkey dinners are delivered to those in wheelchairs, on oxygen and the blind, who have difficulty leaving their homes. This year will be their 7th year making the meals and delivering the turkey dinner.
The Foundation also helps to keep the elderly living in their homes for as long as possible since our Foundation helps by cutting the grass, shoveling snow and providing emergency plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning repairs as they occur.
"We want seniors to live with dignity and independence for as long as possible," said Argus.
Some of the programs include; Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program Committee; Healthy Community/Healthy Youth Program Committee; Intergenerational Program Committee; and Seasons of Service program Committee.
The Foundation has no paid employees and is 100 percent volunteer. Foundation is a 501c3 organization and funds are obtained from individuals, businesses, and corporate tax-deductible contributions as well as from other foundations.
For information on becoming a student volunteer visit: www.DPCharties.org or www.desplainescommunityfoundation.org. Future volunteers can call Rosemary Argus at 847-297-4932 or 847-525-5566.
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 67,000 associates, the company operates approximately 330 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 600,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2018 that ended June 30, 2018, the company generated sales of more than $58 billion.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoCorporation or Twitter at https://twitter.com/Sysco.
For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company's Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. Investors should also follow us at www.twitter.com/SyscoStock and download the Sysco IR App, available on the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Market. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.