Inspired by Hallmark’s 100th birthday celebration, employees in 2010 set a goal of raising 100,000 meals for the Harvesters Food Network and other food banks during the company’s summer food drive. Not only was this goal met, it was more than tripled as Hallmarkers remembered those in their hometown communities at risk of going hungry.

Employees provided food and dollars that translated into more than 233,064 meals. Combined with a match from the Hallmark Corporate Foundation, the 2010 food drive provided an estimated 349,596 meals for food banks serving hungry families in the surrounding communities.

One popular feature of the food drive has been the “CANstruction” project, in which teams compete in creating sculptures from cans of food and other non-perishables.

Nearly 900 employees participated in Intranet voting for their favorite sculptures. Grand Prize honors went to the Creative Collections group for "J.C.—the Face of Giving,” a likeness of Hallmark founder J. C. Hall made from 835 cans of salt and pepper—which has found a home at the Hallmark Visitors Center. See a video of the CANstruction project in action >

More than 66,000 different people in Greater Kansas City receive emergency food assistance weekly through Harvesters’ network of agencies. Food drives are Harvesters’ best source for a variety of nutritious and critically needed food items, personal care products, paper goods and household supplies.

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