Winter 2021
GSF Foundation Debuts New Video
To tell our story of changing hearts and changing lives in the words of our generous volunteers and beneficiary partners, GSF Foundation is pleased to share our newest video.
2020 Volunteer Hours Total Over 1,700
Congratulations to the Foundation teams in Charlotte, North Carolina; Frisco, Texas; and Irvine, California for leading all local Foundation Committees in fourth quarter volunteer hours.

For 2020, GSF Foundation volunteerism collectively totaled more than 1,700 hours of supporting neighbors in need in the communities where associates live and work. The following teams achieved the most 2020 volunteer hours:

Frisco, Texas (275 hours)
Irvine, California (263 hours)
Arkansas City, Kansas (223 hours)
Foundation Volunteers Donate Food, Clothing, and Gifts to Brighten the Holiday Season
Making spirits bright during the holiday season, local GSF Foundation committees across the U.S. adopted families and organized donations for neighbors in need. From California and Texas to Alabama and North Carolina, volunteers across the U.S. have generously given of their time, talent, and treasure to make the holidays a little merrier for children and families.
Company Response of the Year Gold Award
During a virtual ceremony in December, the 13th Annual Women in Business and the Professions World Awards® honored Golden State Foods with a Gold Award for Company Response of the Year: Creative Ways Companies are Giving Back During COVID-19. Among dozens of award categories and winners announced this year, the 2020 Company Response of the Year category recognizes organizations showing their resilience and creativity to weather the economic drought and keep their employees working, paid, and safe at all times.

“We appreciate the kind recognition of our associates’ efforts to alleviate hunger and support our neighbors in need throughout the Coronavirus crisis. Through their time, talent and treasure, our caring and resourceful associates across the globe continually look for ways to help improve the quality of life of children and families in the communities where we work and live.”

– Tess McAnena, GSF Foundation Executive Director
Sharing Your Stories
In January, volunteers from the Quality Custom Distribution (QCD) Kansas City GSF Foundation donated 70 pairs of shoes to Comanche Elementary School in Shawnee, Kansas. The Foundation's Best Foot Forward program supports healthy life choices by donating shoes that help children participate in their schools’ physical education activities.
"Even a small helping hand can be a profound step in turning things around for one family. Giving back at this time is more difficult than it used to be, but it can be done. We made this happen by contacting the people that could best facilitate getting the help to those that need it most. Shoes were dropped off at the school and distributed accordingly. The school was very helpful in providing us video feedback while the shoes were given to the kids, so that we could feel the joy that they expressed."

– Shane Turk, GSF Foundation Kansas City Volunteer
Meet Pete Del Giorno
Pete Del Giorno, General Manager, QCD Suffolk, serves as the location's GSF Foundation Committee Chair, as well as on the national GSFF Board of Directors. He joined GSF 38 years ago. Here are five things to know about Pete:

  1. Honored to have been part of the GSF Foundation since its inception, Pete’s favorite Foundation memories include returning to the same schools year after year during the holidays for Best Foot Forward shoe donations. The kids remember the volunteers, and some even ask him, “Mr. Pete, do you remember me from last year? Do I look bigger?”
  2. As a young boy, Pete visited his grandfather’s watch and jewelry shop in Lackawanna, New York and observed him taking watches apart at the work bench. Today, he enjoys working on watches still and has become the go-to guy for watch battery replacements at the Suffolk facility!
  3. One of Pete’s professional goals for 2021 is continuing to keep all associates safe during the pandemic and work towards a return to “normal” operations.
  4. A favorite quote of Pete’s is this one by General George S. Patton: “If everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn’t thinking.” He believes the real key to diversity is being sure everyone is comfortable speaking their mind; dissent is okay and needs to be encouraged.
  5. An avid reader, Pete is in the habit of having multiple books going at the same time—and he says that his wife is in the habit of constantly picking them up everywhere!