After 9/11, many individuals and companies revisited where they would focus their charitable efforts. Longfellow Benefits looked for an organization where we could not only contribute our efforts as a firm but where our associates could contribute individually as well. This was not an easy task with such a diverse and vast number of charitable organizations in the Greater Boston area. In 2001, as we approached the holiday season, we were impressed by the fundraising efforts of Community Servings with their Pie in the Sky and Holiday Gift Basket Programs, in addition to the volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
Community Servings has been fighting malnutrition and hunger since 1989 as Boston’s only free, home-delivered meals program for individuals ill with acute life-threatening illnesses like HIV/AIDS, cancer, Lupus and MS. Today they deliver over 700 free, hot, home-delivered meals each day to their clients, their dependents, and caregivers. 95% of their clients live at or below the poverty level.
Longfellow associates volunteer in Boston’s biggest bake sale – Pie in the Sky – where more than 150 of Boston’s best bakeries, restaurants, caterers and hotels donate their time and resources to bake Thanksgiving pies to be sold to the public to benefit the clients of Community Servings. Every November, our associates gather at Pie Central (the Park Plaza Castle) to help sort, quality check, pick-up and deliver pies to distribution sites.
In addition, individually and as a firm, we adopt Community Servings clients and their families and create Holiday Gift Baskets to help warm their holiday season with non-perishable food and gifts.
These past six years have been a humbling experience for all of us which has given us a profound sense of pride that we can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. It is not only about money, which they so desperately need, it is also about giving up of our time to help others in need.
Longfellow is proud to be a corporate sponsor of Community Servings. If you or your firm are looking to concentrate your charitable efforts, we would definitely recommend that you look to Community Servings as a recipient of your generosity. Please go to http://www.servings.org/ for more information on how you can help.