Summer 2021
GSF Foundation Celebrates with
“Cheers to 20 Years!”
for 2022 Associate Campaign
Anticipating a momentous milestone year ahead, the GSF Foundation will soon launch its 2022 Associate Campaign, themed, “Cheers to 20 Years!” As associates kick off the anniversary-inspired celebration on September 1, local committees across the U.S. will host festive activities to recognize past, present, and future contributions of time, talent, treasure, and tradition.

“We have so much to celebrate today because of the GSF Foundation traditions and the legacy of philanthropy that our caring, generous associates have created over the past two decades. Associates have made the GSF Foundation’s 20-year anniversary possible, and we recognize their commitment to the Creed and Values through their Foundation involvement and the positive impact associates continue to make in the communities where we all work and live.”

– Carol Fawcett, 2022 Associate Campaign Chair and Golden State Foods Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Volunteers Give Over 1,200 Hours of Service in First Half of 2021
Congratulations to the Foundation teams in Opelika, Alabama (298 hours) and Irvine, California (186 hours) for leading all local Foundation Committees in second quarter volunteer hours! Both local committees also lead the large and medium-sized committees in 2021 year-to-date service hours, which collectively total 1,261 hours across the Foundation's 27 U.S. Committees.
Charlotte, Frisco, and Irvine Foundation Teams Build Bikes for Local Kids
In recent months, GSF Foundation Committees in Charlotte, North Carolina, Frisco, Texas, and Irvine, California held Bike Building events to give local kids a new set of wheels geared toward fitness, fun, and a future filled with many rides ahead. Foundation teams around the U.S. have donated a total of 115 bikes this year and 8,251 bikes over the past two decades to children in need. This month's story by The Dallas Morning News featured the Frisco team's first-ever Bike Build event, which benefitted 50 children from a local elementary school in nearby Plano.

“Mendenhall Elementary has over 70% of their students who need to participate in the free or reduced lunch programs. We previously partnered with Mendenhall on the Back(pack) to School and Best Foot Forward programs. Now, we’re collaborating on this bike donation with our business partners, as well as local organizations, that are providing goodies for the kids at the school!”

– Betsy Kirchenbauer, GSFF Frisco volunteer and Regional Accounts Payable/Receivable Manager, Quality Custom Distribution
Sharing Your Stories
Ahead of summer camps starting up and welcoming local community members, the GSF Foundation team in Charlotte volunteered to garden for good at Wings of Eagles Ranch in June. Associates and their families assisted in the vegetable garden, laying down mulch and weeding, along with assembling benches and cleaning up common areas. The Charlotte Committee also made a grant donation to support the summer camp programs at the non-profit Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Outdoor Adventure Center, which serves North Carolina's special needs and at-risk communities.
“When we bring our families, it makes it even more special. The GSF Foundation gives our family the ability to develop our child’s appreciation of helping others through the simple act of giving his time. My son has been volunteering at our local Charlotte GSF Foundation events since 2010. After he and his friends recently assisted in the community garden at the Wings of Eagles facility, the kids were tired on the way home, but asked when is the next event we were going to do.”

– Pete Van Saun, GSF Foundation Charlotte Assistant Chair
Quiz for A Kids' Cause
Enter for a Chance to Win a $250 Donation
Don't miss this quick and simple opportunity to win a $250 donation to your children's charity of choice. The GSF Foundation invites Heartline readers to take a quiz about this newsletter edition by September 30, 2021:
About GSFF's Quiz for A Kids' Cause
  • All correct quiz responses received by September 30, 2021 will be entered into this quarter's random drawing for one $250 donation to the winner's eligible children's charity of choice.
  • Eligible charities include GSFF Local Committees and non-profit 501(c)3 organizations that align with the GSF Foundation's mission of improving the lives of children and families in need in the places where GSF associates live and work.