The holiday season means many things to many people. For some, it means traveling hundreds of miles to see family and old friends. For others, it means preparing to host 20+ hungry guests and swearing never to do it again. While most simply worry about booking their flights or having enough seats at the kids’ table, there are some that worry they won’t be able to provide a holiday meal for their family at all. These are the members of our community that want to sit down at the table with their families and enjoy their favorite holiday foods, but aren’t sure where the money to pay for that meal will come from.

Partnering For A Cause

BlueGrace partnered with local organizations throughout the country again this year in an effort to decrease this need in local communities. In Tampa, the corporate office partnered with Metropolitan Ministries to host “Boxes of Hope,” a food drive that provides food to local families. This year, the Tampa team used the money collected through raffles, a hot one chip challenge and a rap battle to provide complete thanksgiving meals for 234 families, as well as donate over 200 lbs of canned and boxed goods to be distributed through Metropolitan Ministries’ food pantry.

We in turn feel very blessed to be able to make a difference for this family. It is a win-win all the way around.

BlueGrace’s Baltimore office hosted their own “Boxes of Hope” drive and adopted a family at Perry Hall Elementary School. They were able to provide a full Thanksgiving meal as well as a few treats, a $25 gift card and additional groceries to the family. “The family wanted us to know how blessed they felt to receive such a generous gift,” Michelle Welk, Customer Support Manager of BG’s Baltimore office explained. “We in turn feel very blessed to be able to make a difference for this family. It is a win-win all the way around.”

“Giving back to the community is part of who we are as an organization,” George Flores, a sales account manager in the Tampa office describes. “These drives combine my two favorite core values- our first core value of ‘Be Caring of All Others’ and our fifth, ‘Be Happy, Humble and Have Fun.’ While we are cheering on our teammates to eat a pie with no hands as fast as they can, we are raising hundreds to go towards a great cause.”

No Child Hungry

BlueGrace’s LA office kicked off their holiday season on the west coast by collecting and donating a full shopping cart of groceries to the Santa Clarita Valley food pantry for their “No Child Hungry” program. “This time of year, there’s so much to be thankful for,” Connor Bush, account manager in the LA office says. “One of those things is the ability to give back and make a difference in our community.”

We all need a hand up sometimes, and BlueGrace is here to be that hand for those who need it.

“I will never stop being moved by the impact these drives make in our communities, or seeing our employees band together to help those in need,” Courtney Smith, Manager of Culture & Engagement for BlueGrace continues. “Whether it’s in Tampa, Baltimore, LA, or any of our other offices throughout the country, the sentiment is the same. We all need a hand up sometimes, and BlueGrace is here to be that hand for those who need it.”