At MetaSource, we have a lot to be thankful for. We’re grateful to our customers and we are also blessed to have so many hardworking, humble coworkers. MetaSource customers may never meet them or know their names, but they are the people that drive our business and enrich the communities in which we operate. One such person is Anthony Dennard.
Anthony Dennard came to MetaSource in 2010 and ever since he has made MetaSource a better place. But, he also makes the world a better place. Every year, as the holiday season kicks into full gear, Anthony gets to work providing holiday dinners to those less fortunate. He and his family have been giving to those in need since his childhood. Anthony tells his fellow co-workers that the one lesson his mother wanted him to always remember is that not everyone has a roof over their head or food in their stomach, and for this reason we should always give and help the less fortunate. The Dennard family has been providing hot meals and personal care packages for Thanksgiving at Love Park in Philadelphia for years. Seeing the tremendous joy it brings strangers in need, Anthony decided to bring this thoughtful cause over to MetaSource.
When Anthony started with the company five years ago, he incorporated this cause to our workplace. The first year that MetaSource had the Thanksgiving collection there were five turkeys donated, as well as stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, corn bread and pans to cook the meal in. Ever since the first year of holding the Thanksgiving Food Collection, the amount of food and non-perishables donated by MetaSourcers increased. Last year 15 turkeys, as well as sides, were collected with the help of Anthony and MetaSource employees who then donated these meals to the families in the community who do not have the luxury of affording a Thanksgiving dinner.
This year MetaSource established, and met, a goal to collect 30 hot meal packages consisting of; a whole turkey, a pan, stuffing, corn bread, cranberry sauce, gravy, and mashed potatoes. These hot meal packages will be distributed to needy families in Bucks County, PA, where MetaSource is headquartered. Many employees at MetaSource have been impacted by Anthony and his family and have independently donated food to food pantries, as well as personal items like deodorant, socks, and shampoo that people may not have the access to. The city of Philadelphia rates the highest among top 10 cities in deep poverty, with a 12.2% deep poverty rate. That is an estimate of 185,000 people including 60,000 children. Unfortunately these individuals are food insecure, but for the one day a year the MetaSource community wants to give them a day of normalcy and have a proper Thanksgiving meal.
MetaSource employees, inspired by Anthony, hope that their donations will help the less fortunate families in our community. Alone, we may not be ending hunger but together we are a step in the right direction.