Supporting our Communities

During these challenging times, CCM employees are participating in projects and volunteer activities supporting our local communities. This week’s blog spotlights some of these efforts.

• Charlotte MEDI – Charlotte MEDI was created in March 2020 as a response to COVID-19 and the shortage of face shields and cloth masks for healthcare workers in the community. Since its inception, Charlotte MEDI has delivered over 100,000 shields.¹ Julie Egan, CCM’s director of municipal research, is a volunteer lead at Charlotte MEDI and has recruited neighborhood families to help with making masks. This involves cutting thousands of yards of elastic into smaller pieces and then cutting those into 14-inch strips for headbands.

• We Finish Together – We Finish Together is a non-profit that collects and donates personalized medals with a message of hope and support to those who would benefit from some kindness.² Jamie Horwitz, CCM’s chief marketing officer, and her daughters decorated medals for members of the Florida National Guard and employees of Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, FL for their work in the fight against COVID-19.³

• Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry – Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry is a non-profit organization that provides free groceries for those in need in their local neighborhood in California. The pantry is open on a first-come, first-serve basis during the week and people can visit the pantry twice a month. Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry is affiliated with the local Chamber of Commerce, Food Bank Coalition, and the United Way of San Luis Obispo County. Martha Schuman, a senior client portfolio manager at CCM, has been contributing to this organization for years and has increased her donations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Greater Boston Food Bank – The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, distributing over 68 million pounds of food in 2019. With COVID-19 posing an even bigger health threat to their community’s most vulnerable populations — low-income individuals and senior citizens – GBFB remains committed to their mission of providing healthy food to those in need. The food bank is helping its 500+ partners in 190 towns and cities in Eastern Massachusetts.⁴ Andy Shafter, a senior portfolio manager at CCM, and his daughter, volunteer weekly, sorting and boxing nutritious food for families affected by COVID-19.

• The Food Now Initiative –  The Food Now Initiative has a goal of providing fresh food to families in the Roxbury and Dorchester communities of Massachusetts. The Initiative sorted out boxes of food containing one full meal per person, per day for seven days. In just four days, the Initiative delivered 1,539 boxes (11,000 meals) to over 700 families.⁵ In addition to his time volunteering at GBFB, Andy Shafter volunteered for this Initiative, helping to pack 300 of the 1,539 boxes.

• Plantation Seventh-Day Adventist Church – The Plantation Seventh-Day Adventist Church, in partnership with the City of Plantation, Aetna, and Farm Share, provided free groceries on a first-come, first-serve drive through to those in need in the community.⁶ James Malone, CCM’s chief financial officer, and Alyssa Greenspan, CCM’s president and chief operating officer, volunteered at the church’s food distribution last week and helped serve 500 local families. Next week, CCM will be sponsoring and volunteering another food distribution event organized by the Church, continuing our support of helping those in our community.

¹ https://www.charlottemedi.org/

² https://wefinishtogether.org/

³ https://www.facebook.com/661705120578293/posts/2981980151884100/?d=n

⁴ https://www.gbfb.org/

⁵ https://www.lff.org/news-all/2020/5/13/food-now-initiative-in-dudley-and-grove-hall

⁶ https://twitter.com/plantationsda/status/1257409108191457280