When more than 1,200 employee volunteers from PepsiCo’s Plano headquarters participated in the 15th annual Day of Caring on Oct. 24, many organizations, agencies and charities across the D-FW community benefited from that surge of manpower.
The Day of Caring is a component of the PepsiCo Foundation’s annual Gives Back campaign, a month-long global employee fundraising, engagement and awareness event. Over the course of the month, the company encourages employees to donate to local charities and organizations across the globe with a matching donation from the PepsiCo Foundation. With its more local focus, the annual Day of Caring event allows employees to effect real and lasting change within the Dallas community.
Glenn Pratt, director of supply chain asset strategy at PepsiCo Foods North America, heads up the event and has been a part of it for more than a decade. “What I love about Day of Caring is that it highlights PepsiCo’s dedication to making the community a better place,” he says.
Pratt says the annual Day of Caring enables team members to see the actual impact of their efforts. “When you get out there and see firsthand the impact these agencies have, meet the people they serve, and engage with their work, it truly opens your eyes to why giving your time and talent is so important,” Pratt says.
FWD>DFW
PepsiCo partners with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas for the Day of Caring initiative to facilitate the staggering logistical feat of sending 1,000-plus volunteers into the community at the same time. The morning of the event, volunteers gathered at the PepsiCo Plano headquarters, then groups were deployed to a variety of activations throughout the metroplex.
Todd Huerta, vice president of finance at PepsiCo Foods North America, spent the volunteer service day working with other volunteers making repairs to three homes in the southern Dallas area alongside partner Cornerstone Community Center. Huerta feels that the initiative is a reflection of the company’s values. “In today’s fast-paced world, we all lead busy lives, but making the time to volunteer and give back is what truly sets us apart as an organization,” he says.
PepsiCo volunteers sort food at Crossroads Community Market in Southern Dallas. Shoppers visit the market once a month and choose items at no cost — usually about 100 pounds of healthy, nutritious food each visit.(Courtesy United Way of Metropolitan Dallas)
Volunteers spent their time supporting organizations such as the North Texas Food Bank, The Family Place, Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, the VA hospital and The Senior Source — just to name a few. Each employee is able to decide ahead of time where to volunteer, choosing from vetted community partners. Some choose to volunteer with their respective work teams, while others sign up on their own. This process often has an unexpected benefit: employees are able to connect with one another throughout the organization, which strengthens camaraderie and builds stronger cross-departmental relationships.
Many volunteers were directed to partners in southern Dallas, an area where PepsiCo continues to provide significant support as part of the Southern Dallas Thrives (SDT) initiative. SDT was born of a partnership among PepsiCo and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in 2018 and aims to create lasting economic opportunities for the residents of southern Dallas.
Since 2018, PepsiCo has invested over $5 million to support SDT, made donations totalling over $350,000 and facilitated over 15,000 hours of volunteer service by PepsiCo employees within the community. It’s all part of PepsiCo’s enduring commitment to D-FW, where it has put down roots — over a quarter of the company’s local workforce calls southern Dallas home.
Pratt says many participants of the Day of Caring find that the inspiration to give back doesn’t end when the day is over — many continue to volunteer to support the same organizations throughout the year. Through the company’s reoccurring event, employees are empowered with the resources to strengthen their ongoing community support.
Reflecting on the 15th annual Day of Caring, the lasting impact of over 1,200 PepsiCo employees’ volunteerism continues to resonate across the D-FW metroplex as United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ largest single-day activation of the year. This tradition of service reinforces PepsiCo’s commitment to the communities where employees live and work.
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