This holiday season, VP Supply Corp felt compelled to step away from a decades-old tradition in order to maximize its long-standing commitment to good will.
Their annual turkey giveaway was always a hit with customers of the Rochester-based wholesale plumbing, HVAC, renewable energy, kitchen and bath supply company. This year, however, VP Supply wanted to redirect those funds to help more families in need. They turned to Foodlink.
Secretary/Treasurer Louis Curwin toured Foodlink on Nov. 7, and within a week had already selected a day to join his colleagues for a day of volunteering, and committed to donate $20,000. On Wednesday, VP Supply employees spent the morning at Foodlink to present the check and sort food during a volunteer shift.
“We’ve been around more than 50 years, and my dad, Elliot, and his partner Marv Miller — from the very beginning — had always emphasized the importance of giving back to the community,” Curwin said. “We did our homework and know that Foodlink is a wonderful organization committed to helping those in need and we’re honored to partner with them this holiday season.”
VP Supply Corp has more than 15 locations across New York State, which includes its corporate office in Rochester, and operations in Dansville and Holley – both of which are in Foodlink’s 10-county service area. For sites in other parts of the state, VP Supply has identified nonprofits such as the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York (Albany), the Calvary Food Pantry (Auburn) and the Open Door Mission (Glens Falls) for additional donations.
Foodlink’s purchasing power and 90,000-square-foot warehouse allows it to leverage VP Supply’s donation, and distribute more than 60,000 meals during a critical time of year.
“This is an impressive act of kindness,” said Heather Newton, Foodlink’s Director of Development and Community Engagement. “We are grateful for VP’s support during the holiday season and look forward to growing this partnership in the years to come. We’re also especially thankful for their volunteering help – as we’ve received numerous food donations in recent weeks and need all of the helping hands we can get to make sure it’s sorted, inspected and ready to distribute to those in need.”
