National OnDemand supports Second Harvest Food Bank with food drive
BURLINGTON, N.C. – National OnDemand donated 1,200 pounds of non-perishable food during a food drive it held in support of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C. Employees at National’s corporate office made donations from March 18 through April 5 to continue the Second Harvest’s mission of securing food to create more healthy communities.
From Boone to Burlington, N.C., Second Harvest is grateful for the support of local businesses and organizations from across the 18 counties they serve. Studies show that one in seven people in Northwest N.C. is food insecure.
Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. It is associated with numerous adverse social and health outcomes and is increasingly considered a critical public health issue.
Key drivers of food insecurity include unemployment, poverty, and income shocks, which can prevent adequate access to food. Alternatively, multiple interventions have been shown to reduce food insecurity, including participation in food assistance programs and broader societal-level improvements in economic stability.
Also, one in five children doesn’t get enough food to thrive. This is caused by factors like poverty and low wages, where fixed incomes are not in keeping with rising costs of living. These are among the challenges that impact the economic stability of families. Millions of people across the nation face these challenges – but children and seniors are among the most vulnerable.
Douglas Boteler, CEO of National OnDemand, Inc., said he was proud of the donations collected by the corporate staff.
“Our people love giving back in the very communities we work in, and they delivered in a big way for Second Harvest Bank,” Boteler said.
We continue to find numerous ways to volunteer and give back in a meaningful manner in our community. Being able to help others in need is not only a good thing to do, but it is the right thing to do. We’re simply happy to play a small role in helping those in need.”
Douglas Boteler CEO of National OnDemand
“We continue to find numerous ways to volunteer and give back in a meaningful manner in our community. Being able to help others in need is not only a good thing to do, but it is the right thing to do. We’re simply happy to play a small role in helping those in need.”
Adam McDuffie, Food Drive Coordinator Second Harvest Bank of Northwest N.C., said the donation from National OnDemand was greatly appreciated.
“A lot of folks living in our communities would be surprised to learn how close they live to a food desert, but the problem is real and often right in our backyard,” McDuffie said. “Access to nutritious food is already challenging for many, and the impact of inflation on the cost of everyday necessities from rent to fuel only makes that access even harder. Over the past year, we’ve seen new requests for assistance reaching startling highs, and we unfortunately see no sign of that trend stopping anytime soon. Second Harvest believes that everyone deserves to eat, and no one should be forced to choose between a roof over their head or food on their table. Hosting a food drive is an excellent way to take an active role in our efforts to end hunger in Northwest N.C.”
McDuffie said people should not be afraid to donate any amount of food because it all adds up to helping the masses.
“Every little bit really does help, every can and every dollar will make a world of difference in someone’s life,” McDuffie said. “Your boxes of food will be brought back to our warehouse, where they will be sorted and then distributed to our partner agencies across Northwest N.C. Each item donated will serve a vital purpose providing a nutritious meal for a neighbor in need. Your donations, your choice to come together as an organization to help fight hunger, have an impact that spans our region providing hope and sustenance where it is in short supply.” This time of year is a period when there is a greater need for donations because it falls in between multiple big pushes for donations, making National’s contribution even more important.
“We always receive a large volume of food and monetary donations over the holiday season as Thanksgiving and Christmas put folks in the giving mood, but we tend to see that wave taper off after the start of the new year,” McDuffie said. “A food drive in the spring is great timing to ensure our supplies of nutritious foods remains at a sufficient level to continue to support our partner agencies.”
About National Ondemand, Inc.
National OnDemand is a communication and utility infrastructure service provider delivering engineering, construction and last mile solutions to the fiber, wireless, energy and technology sectors in the United States.
Headquartered in Burlington, N.C., the company provides full turnkey infrastructure solutions—on-demand, anywhere across the United States.
National has built its market leadership position by providing exceptional client service and identifying and acquiring firms that share its goals and commitment to excellence.
In addition, National OnDemand has developed special expertise in managing rural broadband fiber construction projects and has proactively invested in personnel and equipment resources to handle large-scale new construction projects.
About Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C. works with grocery and meal assistance partners across 18 counties of Northwest North Carolina. It serves Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin Counties. Its vision is to create food secure and healthy communities. Its mission with volunteers from the community and partners is to increase food security and create pathways that build a stronger Northwest, N.C.