Boeing Employee Harvest Yields Nearly 2 Million Meals for the Less Fortunate

SEATTLE -- The Boeing Company, Boeing employees, and the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound donated nearly $400,000 to three Seattle-area food distributors. The three distributors accepted the contributions during the annual Boeing employees' Food & Essentials drive. The donations will generate nearly 2 million meals for the region or enough to feed about 5,600 families of four for a month. Boeing representatives announced the results Oct. 30 during a celebration event at Northwest Harvest's warehouse in Kent, WA. Food Lifeline, Northwest Harvest, and the Emergency Food Network, all of which distribute resources to Puget Sound food banks, accepted the checks. "It's overwhelming for all of us to be recipients of such generous spirits and of the tremendous contributions," says Camilla Bishop, director of development at Food Lifeline. The record-breaking gift comes during a time of increasing demand on food banks and other basic needs services, Bishop says. Children who often go to school hungry make up one-third of food recipients and working families make up about 70 percent of food bank clients. Bishop says the current economic crisis has pushed many people who thought they were secure to reach out for help. "Families that were on the edge are unfortunately now way over the edge," she says. The effort shows how willing Boeing employees are to help their community, says Fred Kiga, vice president of Boeing Northwest State and Local Government Relations and Global Corporate Citizenship. "Once again, it demonstrates that Boeing employees are among the most generous people we'll find -- always ready to lend a hand or share their resources," he says. "Our partnerships with these three agencies span many decades, and are among our longest running social service investments. We've seen the good things they accomplish in the lives of so many, which is why it feels especially good to share this bounty with them today." Employees gave more than $190,000 in monetary donations. In addition, The Boeing Company and the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound each contributed $100,000, matching employee contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000. Employees also donated 36,240 pounds of food and essential items.