People’s Credit Union Conducts 'Day of Purpose'
Employees donate time and talent to raise awareness of food insecurity in Rhode Island
People’s Credit Union (PCU) recently partnered with Farm Fresh RI and other nonprofit organizations across the state for a ‘Day of Purpose’ to shine a spotlight on food insecurity in our communities and the importance of making nutritious fresh produce accessible for all in need. All offices of PCU were closed on Thursday, September 12th, for employees to volunteer their time.
"At PCU, our purpose, to be a catalyst for positive change in the community, will be at the forefront of everything we do," said Sean Daly, Head of People's Credit Union. "By committing our time to local nonprofits striving to address food insecurity, we are well on our way. When we communicated the Day of Purpose to our members, the feedback and support we received was overwhelmingly positive."
Nikki Ayres, Director of Community Giving for Farm Fresh RI, stated, "People’s Credit Union has generously contributed hundreds of hours of volunteer service to Farm Fresh Rhode Island in just one day. Through their Day of Purpose, they’ve made a significant impact, helping us advance our mission to connect local farmers with eaters across the region. Their dedicated volunteers have played vital roles by rescuing food from farms and delivering it to food pantries, transforming 'B grade' produce into shelf-stable items, and expanding awareness about our 100% SNAP match program at farmers' markets statewide. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and their commitment to making Rhode Island a better place for everyone."
Organizations included in the Day of Purpose included:
Farm Fresh RI/Harvest Kitchen locations in Pawtucket and Providence offer culinary job training programs for youth ages 16-19 involved with the RI Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Volunteers helped process produce for pickling using ingredients from local farms.
At Farm Fresh RI/Hope's Harvest locations in Hope Valley, Cranston, and Seekonk, MA, volunteers assisted with farm-based food recovery, also known as gleaning, the ancient practice of collecting unharvested produce from a farmer's field and distributing it to people in need.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Newport offers hunger relief services and programs, including both a food pantry and a mobile food pantry, Food 2 Friends program, breakfast and lunch programs, Produce to the People program, and Holiday & Thanksgiving programs. Volunteers assisted with a food drive and made cards and goodie bags for homebound clients.
In Peace Dale, RI, volunteers learned about Jonnycake Center For Hope programs that include a food pantry and a nutrition education and community health program as they packed groceries for senior deliveries and assisted food pantry drivers with packing cars and restocking shelves.
At North Kingstown Food Pantry, volunteers learned about the pantry’s programs and its role as part of the Town’s Emergency Management Plan. They also assisted with “Thursday Produce Day” helping to distribute produce to clients and restocking produce for distribution.
At Aquidneck Community Table in Middletown, volunteers learned about ACT initiatives to address the threats of climate change, food insecurity, and lack of sustainable agriculture by working in the “Food Forest,” re-establishing walking paths in the pollinator garden, cutting back plants, laying out wood chips in paths and hedgerows, cutting back and weeding around groups of trees and plants.
Volunteers learned how the Jamestown Community Farm works 365 days a year to provide fresh produce to food pantries throughout RI by partaking in various duties on the farm, including tending to the gardens, picking and shelling beans, and taking down the bean netting for the winter.
