SOUTHEAST MISSOURI – United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) is launching its second annual food drive and accompanying Workplace Wonder Competition, complete with a traveling trophy!
Once again United Way is challenging community members and participating businesses, or “Workplace Wonders,” to collect nonperishable, non-expired food items in a community-wide food drive.
Where applicable, Workplace Wonders are asked to encourage their clients and customers to participate. UWSEMO will kick off the food drive on July 10th at the United Way WINSday Cape Catfish game against Danville.
The competition will culminate at the July 24 United Way WINSday Cape Catfish game against the Springfield Luckyshoes.
The winning Workplace Wonder will be announced via Facebook on Monday, July 29th.
This year’s Workplace Wonder Competition aims to benefit UWSEMO’s partners with food pantries and nutrition programs in every county UWSEMO serves. At the end of the competition, Workplace Wonders will deliver collected food items to a United Way-funded nutrition partner. Community members also are asked to bring food items to the UWSEMO office or to any of the participating nutrition partners listed on UWSEMO’s website.
Commerce Bank won last year’s inaugural competition
The participating business that collects the most items per employee will receive bragging rights and the coveted traveling Workplace Wonder Award to display for the entire year. Commerce Bank won the award for the inaugural event last year.
Kelly Faircloth managed the event for the bank and explained, “It was so easy to do! Many of our customers got involved, and we learned so much when we took the food to the pantry. It was so nice to learn about resources we can share with people in need.”
Current participating workplaces include: Cape Girardeau and Jackson locations of Commerce Bank, First Missouri State Bank on South Mount Auburn in Cape Girardeau, The Bank of Missouri Perryville, Wood & Huston Bank in Cape Girardeau, and FOX23. All participating workplaces will be featured in United Way’s social media and website.
Participants will also receive a “We Support United Way” yard sign and a marketing toolkit to help promote the food drive. If your business or organization is interested in becoming a Workplace Wonder, please visit unitedwayofsemo.org/food-drive/ or call 573-334-9634