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Executive Terminal (FBO) General Meridian Cares

Meridian Rallys to Support Thanksgiving Food Drive

Meridian Cares, the company’s Social Corporate Responsibility Committee, stands behind donations by staff members from all departments. In total, there were 12 full boxes of food donations for Eva’s Village.

Today representatives from Eva’s Village, located in Paterson, NJ, will be picking up 12 boxes of food items and gift cards donated by Meridian employees as part of their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Eva’s Village provides recovery and support services to the local community by helping thousands of men, women, and children each year by addressing basic needs of food and shelter, as well as complex issues around addiction, mental illness, and chronic homelessness. Meridian is proud to support this organization, especially during the Thanksgiving season, and we would like to thank our staff members who generously contributed to this very worthy cause.

For more information, go to www.evasvillage.org

Categories
Aircraft Management Executive Terminal (FBO) General Maintenance Private Air Charter

Meridian Tops Last Year’s Donations to Bag-A-Lunch Program

Bag A Lunch Help A Bunch
October is the time of year for the annual “Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch” campaign, sponsored by Table to Table. Meridian is a proud supporter of Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations serving the hungry in Northern New Jersey. During the Bag-A-Lunch campaign, we ask Meridian employees to donate what they would normally spend on lunch for a day. Donating to the campaign is voluntary and the donation amounts are of each individual’s choosing. After the donations are tallied at the end of the program, the company donates a matching gift at 100%, effectively doubling the contribution.
The program, which ended on Wednesday, October 19, resulted in $810 of Meridian employee contributions. With company matching added to that amount, the total donations from Meridian brought the final tally to $1,620, surpassing last year’s contribution level. Kelly Manzo, HR Assistant, was the Meridian Team Captain, responsible for promoting the program at the company and coordinating with her counterparts at Table to Table. Ms. Manzo says, “The Bag-A-Lunch program is a great way for employees to help others in our local communities who are less fortunate. By donating what we would normally spend on lunch, each person’s individual contribution will double with the gift matching program, and ultimately have a much greater impact on those who need it most.” To help raise awareness of the campaign, donation bags were placed in several locations throughout the FBO, including the Break Room, Line Service, Jet Center, and Charter areas.
Did you know….
• 1 in 4 New Jersey residents do not earn enough to afford the basic necessities of food and housing.
• 1 in 5 children do not know where their next meal will come from
• This year, Table to Table will deliver 15 million fresh, nutritious meals (free of charge) to our hungry neighbors in Northeastern NJ.
• Last year, the success of the Bag a Lunch Initiative enabled Table to Table to deliver 3,000,000 of those meals!
Every day Table to Table picks up fresh, wholesome food that otherwise would have been discarded, and delivers it safely to non-profit organizations such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters and centers, programs for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, and programs that assist the working poor that serve meals to the hungry in Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex counties. With five refrigerated vehicles and dedicated drivers, Table to Table picks up food from a wide range of food establishments each day. This food is delivered on the day it is donated, avoiding the need for warehouse facilities and keeping Table To Table’s costs limited to the operation of the vehicles.
For more information or to make a donation, please visit: www.tabletotable.org

Categories
General

Meridian Gives Back during the Holidays

Meridian is a proud supporter of the 22nd Annual Toy Drive for the Center of Hope and Safety.  Aviation companies gather at Teterboro Airport's Administrative Building to donate their gifts.  (Meridian is represented by Michelle Guerra and Joy Glassman on the right.)
Meridian is a proud supporter of the 22nd Annual Toy Drive for the Center of Hope and Safety. Aviation companies gather at Teterboro Airport’s Administrative Building to donate their gifts. (Meridian is represented by Michelle Guerra and Joy Glassman on the right.)

On Friday, December 18, 2015, Meridian colleagues Michelle Guerra and Joy Glassman exited the Meridian parking lot and drove down Industrial Avenue to the unadorned airport building identified only with a big number “1” on its side. Inside their car were three large boxes containing new toys, games, clothes, shoes, gift cards, and many other items which would have made Santa’s Elves jealous. These were the donations collected by Meridian employees for the Center for Hope and Safety. Caitlin Byrne, the shelter’s representative, was there to receive the donations and to thank the many company representatives from the airport community that had donated.
Center for Hope and Safety’s mission is to assist women and children who are victims of domestic violence, including emotional, economic, sexual and physical abuse. The agency provides emergency and transitional housing, emotional support, and a diversified continuum of services focused on safety, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. Through community partnerships, Center for Hope and Safety raises awareness, provides services, and educates community members about domestic violence.
Ken Forester, Meridian CEO, is extremely proud of his staff. “To see so many wonderful gifts donated by our Meridian family to families in need is truly a humbling experience. We work hard everyday to make sure that our customers feel special, but it’s even more gratifying to see our folks go above and beyond to help those in our community who are less fortunate. The donations that have been collected for the Center of Hope and Safety will certainly brighten the holidays for a lot of kids who are facing some tough times. It’s truly important for us to give back during the holidays, and I think that our people have done a great job in rising to the occasion.”