May is National Small Business Month! Filling In the Blanks relies on corporate partners, and support from our local community, to deliver nutritious meals to thousands of local kids in need every weekend. Our partners and their employees participate in rewarding team volunteering, get recognized online and at our events, and are always finding creative ways to fund our work.
Each of our corporate partnerships looks a little bit different, and we cherish them all. Some, like First County Bank, started out as event sponsors and grew into something bigger, while younger companies like J5 Consulting included Filling in the Blanks in their business plans from the beginning.
Reflecting on a seven-year partnership that started with a Golf Outing sponsorship, Karen Kelly at First County Bank shared that Filling in the Blanks helps Bank employees make an ongoing positive difference in the communities they love.
“Supporting the local community is part of First County Bank’s mission, and as a mutual community bank, it is our responsibility to support our neighbors. Over the years, we have seen a significant increase in food insecurity—especially during the pandemic—and as a result, our Bank and Foundation recognize the importance of supporting efforts to increase the availability of nutritious meals for local families.”
First County Bank employees have participated in our annual Golf Outings and volunteered packing and delivering meal bags every year. Many of their employees are dedicated to community service outside of business hours, too—serving on nonprofit boards and hosting local community events.
Down in Greenwich, J5 Consulting is a three-year-old employee benefits firm with a different partnership story: J5’s founders supported Filling in the Blanks as individuals before starting their business, so they wove our cause into the fabric of their firm. The J5 crew keeps finding creative ways to support us—including ditching holiday gift baskets for donations.
“COVID really highlighted the need for Filling in the Blanks. The need was so critical. While it’s easy for us to provide large donations, the most fun gift we have made thus far was holiday donations on behalf of our clients. We replaced the food baskets we used to send to clients with gifts to Filling in the Blanks. Our clients loved this and really appreciate the thoughtfulness!”
When asked why the J5 team devotes so much of their time to our mission, their answer is simple: If you can, you should.
“Our giving as a company, and as individual members of the company, goes far beyond cash gifts. This is a family affair. We show up on weekends, after hours during the week, and over the holidays to pack meal bags. Each of our founders’ kids have worked at Filling in the Blanks over the summer or for internships!”
Connecticut businesses that want to help us end childhood hunger in Connecticut can learn more about Filling in the Blanks Corporate Partnerships and get in touch any time. A partnership with Filling in the Blanks translates directly into healthy meals for Connecticut kids in need, provides memorable volunteering activities for teams of all sizes, and can be customized to meet your company’s unique budget and goals for community impact.
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