Company : Cash&Carry Smart Foodservice (Smart & Final Stores, Inc.)
Program category : 2015 Community Outreach Awards Nominees

Origins:

The program began with the President of Cash&Carry challenging us to come up with a way to give back and support the communities & customers which have played such an important part in the success of Cash&Carry. As a group we decided that since we are in the wholesale food industry, the fight against hunger would be a natural fit for us. We wanted the program to be about more than just donating money so we came up came up with a way to involve our customers and associates. The program was designed so everyone would understand the need for the program and see the benefits it provides. For Cash&Carry, it is really about giving back and helping out by leveraging our resources and business relationships to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve.

Contribution:

We use a three-pronged approach to ensure our program engages associates and truly contributes to the communities we serve. 1. We raise money by hosting a charity golf tournament where we create awareness and educate on the need that exists in our communities and we hold a 1-week in-store fundraising campaign where customers can donate by purchasing a “can” mobile. The funds from the golf tournament are evenly split amongst all of our stores, and that amount, plus the amount raised by the store that week, is presented to a local charity by the Store Manager. 2. We donate product through a grocery recovery program at each store in partnership with a local organization in each store’s community. In 2015 we donated hundreds of thousands of lbs. of product, providing food for thousands of meals. 3. We donate time. Each year during our Fall Store Manager meeting, the store managers, corporate office staff, and district managers volunteer at the Oregon Food Bank. We have sort, package and palletize product in their warehouse. It is a great event that makes a big impact on the people who participate.

Objectives:

This is a program we started and developed over the years to really help support the people in our communities. We have had great support from both our vendor and manufacturer partners but also from the communities. Each year the amount of money donated continues to increase as our partners see the program grow and more importantly as they see the need increase in their communities. The goal was to help support those working to feed the hungry but also to educate people and create awareness for the need to help feed the hungry in our communities. The program expands across all of our 54 stores and reaches thousands of customers during the fundraising week. The efforts allow us to support people in communities across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Northern California.

Impact:

The program continues to grow each year through the support from both our vendor partners and the people in the community who shop in our stores. As more and more vendors find out about what we are trying to accomplish, the level of support increases each year with more and more vendors asking to participate. As our customer realize how dedicated we are to this cause, their level of support increases. The results can be seen by the increase in the amount we are able to donate each year. 2012=$100,347 2013=$136,531 2014=$156,833 2015= $208,673. Our four year total is $602,384.

Quote:

"It is really important for us as a Company but also as individuals to give back to the communities that support us. This campaign has really grown and it will be exciting to see how much we can grow this program and the number of people we can impact," said Marty Trtek, President Cash&Carry.

Support Statement:

With the help of Cash & Carry, Oregon Food Bank is able to help thousands of people who struggle with hunger in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Funds raised through Cash & Carry’s annual golf tournament go towards the purchase of food as well as development and expansion of programs to help people learn to cook, shop and garden. Stores around Oregon participate in our Fresh Alliance program which collects perishable food that might otherwise be thrown away and distributes it to people in need. Employees have also given more than 300 hours of volunteer service. Cash & Carry is a generous and valuable partner sharing in our belief that no one should be hungry. We are grateful for their commitment to Oregon Food Bank and our neighbors in need. Myrna Jensen Marketing & Communications Associate – Media Relations Oregon Food Bank 7900 NE 33rd Dr, Portland, OR 97211 503.575.2102 – direct/cell