For Immediate Release:
Media Contact:
Jay Shepley, Communications Director
(202) 269-6875
jshepley@foodandfriends.org
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner & Awards Event at Food & Friends Honors Excellence in Community Service and Helps Launch a New Partnership with Wegmans Food Markets
Written by: Abigail Seiler
April 11, 2022 – Volunteer Appreciation Week at Food & Friends begins on April 18 and culminates with a celebratory dinner & awards event from on Thursday, April 21 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Food & Friends is a mission that relies on volunteer service, and the purpose of this event is to recognize and celebrate the many volunteers who serve with dedication and compassion. Six days a week, volunteers help prepare, package, and deliver medically tailored meals and groceries for our neighbors with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other serious illnesses.
Pre-pandemic, Food & Friends welcomed more than 8,500 volunteers per year. In 2021, that number was down to just 2,850. Through innovation and new operational efficiencies, Food & Friends has been able to meet the increased demand for our medically tailored meals and groceries with fewer volunteers due to the need for physical distancing. Thanks to those dedicated volunteers, Food & Friends never missed a delivery despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.
“Before the pandemic, our staff and volunteers worked elbow-to-elbow to make sure our neighbors battling life-challenging illnesses had freshly prepared medically tailored meals and groceries, and the support of a compassionate community. We are excited to be able to welcome back larger groups of volunteers. Our volunteer appreciation dinner & awards event is the chance we have been waiting for to show them how grateful we are by celebrating with them in person,” said Carrie Stoltzfus, MPH, Executive Director
With lower rates of Covid-19 transmission in the community overall, Food & Friends is seeing larger groups of volunteers return. In 2021 for example, hundreds of neighbors supported the Thanksgiving event, which had to be carried out mainly by staff and core volunteers in 2020. Wegmans Food Markets was the Premiere Sponsor for Thanksgiving Day at Food & Friends in 2021. Their support helped deliver more than 8,520 pounds of turkey, complete with all the traditional side dishes and gourmet pies for our neighbors battling serious illnesses.
The team at Wegmans engaged directly with the Food & Friends mission and operations and were impressed with the commitment of volunteers. They decided to form a multi-year, $100,000 sponsorship commitment with Food & Friends as the Premiere Sponsor for Thanksgiving through 2025. A team from Wegmans will also be volunteering on April 21 in the Food & Friends kitchen and we will celebrate their sponsorship commitment during the evening event.
“As a family company focused on food, our commitment to helping families and communities struggling with hunger runs deep. We are thrilled to strengthen our engagement with Food & Friends in this pivotal year where we are opening new Wegmans stores in Alexandria and the District.” said Chris Holland Community Relations Coordinator for Wegmans.
Volunteers, supporters, and media are welcome to join us to celebrate the resilient, caring, and vibrant Food & Friends community and hear from volunteers about their service experience.
WHEN:
Thursday April 21 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
WHO:
Food & Friends volunteers, staff, and supporters.
WHERE:
Food & Friends headquarters 219 Riggs Road NE, Washington, D.C. 20011
VISUALS / INTERVIEWS:
Live shot opportunities are available and encouraged!
MEDIA NOTE: Please contact Jay Shepley at 202-269-6875 or jshepley@foodandfriends.org to coordinate coverage.
ABOUT FOOD & FRIENDS: Food & Friends is a the only community-based nonprofit organization that provides home-delivered, specialized meals and nutrition counseling to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and other life-challenging illnesses throughout the Washington, DC region. Food & Friends’ services are free-of-charge to recipients who qualify solely based on their health status and nutritional need. Monday-Saturday, including holidays, staff and volunteers deliver to 5,300 square miles including the District of Columbia, seven counties in Maryland, and seven counties and six independent cities in Virginia. Since 1988, Food & Friends has delivered more than 25 million meals to 39,000 individuals.
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About WEGMANS:
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 106-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. The family company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for 25 consecutive years, ranking #3 in 2022. The company also ranked #1 on PEOPLE’s 2021 ‘Companies That Care’ list.