Lowry Solutions Donates 42,644 Meals to Gleaners Community Food Bank

Brighton, MI — Jan. 18, 2017 — Lowry Solutions, a leading Global Systems Integrator of Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that improve productivity through real-time asset visibility, donated 42,644 meals to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan this past December. This was the fifth consecutive year that the company participated in its annual Gleaners Food & Fund Drive to support local Livingston County, MI citizens. 

Key Facts

The food drive took place at Lowry Solutions’ corporate office from December 1-12, 2016.

Lowry employees donated a total of $3,538 in cash, which Lowry Solutions matched for a total of $7,076. Employees also donated 227 pounds of food.

This year Lowry provided 42,644 meals, exceeding last year’s donation of 34,485 meals by 8,159.

Michael Lowry, President and CEO, Lowry Solutions: “I truly believe that it is important for local businesses to help others in our community. It makes me so proud to see the Lowry team’s generosity and support for Gleaners and the excellent work they do.” Bridget Brown, Director of Livingston Operations, Gleaners Community Food Bank: “I love working with Lowry Solutions because I can see everyone’s passion for helping the Livingston County community. Gleaners has been a fortunate recipient of their generosity for several years. Lowry Solutions is a great example of what people can do to help each other.” 

Strengthening Communities Through Corporate Social Responsibility

The community around the business is a crucial component of its sustainability. Although organizations gain much of their recognition from products, services, and technological advances, the long-term impact they aspire to achieve has as much to do with positive contributions that result from where their employees live and work directly as well. Corporate social responsibility programs provide business entities with an avenue to carry values outside the day-to-day work by contributing support to local organizations, inciting employee engagement, and alleviating community needs.

Initiatives that add up the company dollar with employee engagement often yield important outcomes as they combine financial support, staff-led volunteerism, and one common passion to effect change. These initiatives not only reinforce professionalism among staff but also support organizations that will continue to serve families and communities well into the future.

Employee Participation Makes Community Programs More Meaningful

Effective charitable programs rarely accomplish goals through leadership alone. The initiatives are a lot more powerful when the employees are involved in fundraising, donation drives, volunteer activities, and the outreach program.

Employee involvement offers several advantages:

• Encourages teamwork outside the workplace.
• Builds stronger relationships across departments.
• Provides employees the opportunity to support causes that matter to them.
• Balances a collective purpose.

The focus is on building an atmosphere of sharing and teamwork.

Participation goes from being just a charitable event to being built into the DNA of the organization when employees are part of creating a common community goal.

Small Contributions Create Significant Results

The best thing about community fundraising initiatives is that single donations can have an enormous impact if combined. It does not matter if employees donate food, make financial contributions, or give their free time; each act of kindness supports a larger mission.

This means organizations often incentivize attendance by:

• Food collection campaigns
• Employee donation matching
• Volunteer service days
• Community fundraising events
• Holiday giving programs
• Local nonprofit partnerships

Giving employee matching donations is especially effective because not only does it increase the overall giving amount, it also shows an organization’s commitment to supporting charitable causes with its own efforts alongside its employees.

Supporting Food Security in Local Communities

Food insecurity continues to affect many families, making food banks and hunger relief organizations essential community resources. Corporate partnerships help these organizations maintain a reliable supply of food and financial support throughout the year.

Business participation can help food banks:

• Purchase nutritious food in larger quantities.
• Expand community outreach programs.
• Support emergency food assistance.
• Improve distribution efficiency.
• Reach more families in need.
• Respond to seasonal increases in demand.

Consistent partnerships allow nonprofit organizations to plan resources more effectively while providing dependable assistance to local communities.

Corporate Giving Reflects Organizational Values

Community involvement demonstrates that an organization’s values extend beyond business performance. Supporting charitable initiatives reflects a commitment to responsibility, compassion, and long-term community development.

Businesses that prioritize giving often strengthen values such as:

These values contribute to a positive organizational culture while strengthening relationships with employees, customers, and business partners.

Encouraging Long-Term Community Partnerships

Long-standing relationships with nonprofit organizations often create greater impact than one-time donations. Ongoing partnerships allow businesses to understand community needs, participate in recurring initiatives, and provide consistent support throughout the year.

Long-term partnerships may include:

• Annual fundraising campaigns
• Employee volunteer opportunities
• Educational outreach
• Seasonal donation drives
• Community awareness events
• Collaborative service projects

Maintaining these relationships helps organizations contribute to sustainable community development while encouraging continued employee engagement.

Creating a Culture of Giving

Corporate philanthropy is most effective when giving becomes part of everyday organizational culture rather than a single annual event. Encouraging employees to support charitable initiatives throughout the year reinforces the importance of community involvement and social responsibility.

Examples of year-round initiatives include:

• Monthly charitable fundraising activities
• Volunteer recognition programs
• Community service challenges
• Employee-selected nonprofit organizations
• Workplace donation campaigns
• Skills-based volunteer opportunities

These ongoing efforts help maintain enthusiasm while creating regular opportunities for employees to make meaningful contributions.

The Business Benefits of Community Engagement

Although charitable giving is primarily intended to support worthwhile causes, community engagement also contributes positively to organizational development. Employees often feel more connected to organizations that actively invest in the well-being of their communities.

Community engagement can support businesses by:

• Improving employee morale.
• Strengthening workplace culture.
• Encouraging teamwork.
• Supporting employee retention.
• Enhancing organizational reputation.
• Building stronger community relationships.

A company known for giving back often attracts employees and partners who value purpose-driven organizations alongside business success.

Aligning Business Success With Social Impact

At the same time, organizations are often still looking for operational success if they begin growing, but how can you do that while ensuring some social good? They demonstrate that companies and communities are not zero-sum in their relationship; corporations can truly flourish while enhancing life in their home communities.

As organizations that provide questions to become concrete, your long-term strategy becomes resolved — why not give employees a way of looking at success from other lenses, providing business goals as well as positive returns in the communities they serve?

This is a healthy mindset, because sustainable success means supporting local economies and increasing capacity in community groups, not just helping people who are already playing from behind.

Looking Beyond Financial Contributions

Besides providing monetary support, businesses are also able to contribute additional skills, technology, and expert services to nonprofits. Technology providers, for example, can partner with charities to offer technical know-how or expertise, which can completely simplify the donation collection process, including inventory data classification, while reducing the need for manual resource management.

Providing services with a cash-based component enables nonprofits to maximize efficiency and get the best possible use out of available resources. Their merging of various bodies allows businesses to assist in ways beyond traditional monetary donations.

Building Stronger Communities Together

Meaningful partnerships with communities demonstrate ways for businesses and employees to join forces with nonprofit organizations to help achieve aspirational goals. By fostering employee involvement, regularly giving back to the community through initiatives such as Thanksgiving food drives in Houston, and ultimately establishing long-term ties within their communities, businesses can help build stronger and more resilient communities.

Moreover, they help to strengthen an organization’s broader commitment to accountability, collaboration, and service that infuses its culture and shapes customer relationships. As you are an ever-evolving brand determined to tread new waters with continued success, businesses confirm that their profits will begin to be calculated in the smiles of the community as well as margins. Research indicates that sustained engagement and concerted action by organizations best leverage benefits beyond the workplace to create healthy, thriving communities for years to come.

About Lowry Solutions: Lowry Solutions is a Global Systems Integrator of complete RFID and barcode solutions for diverse application requirements. As the industry leader for over four decades, Lowry has been implementing real-time asset visibility solutions that improve business outcomes. The company continues to evolve alongside its customers to provide the most complete and contemporary data collection solutions available. 888-881-2477. www.lowrysolutions.com. 

About Gleaners Community Food Bank: For 40 years, Gleaners Community Food Bank has been “feeding hungry people and nourishing our communities.” Last year, Gleaners distributed more than 38 million pounds of emergency food to over 534 partner schools, soup kitchens, shelters, and pantries in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, and Monroe counties. Of every dollar donated, Gleaners uses 94 cents for food and food programs. One dollar provides three meals for a hungry neighbor.