SafeAmerica Adds Sponsorship Support and More to Hacienda Holiday Food Drive

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

The holiday season inspires many people to think about their neighbors in need and to see what can be done to provide aid to those less fortunate than themselves. In support of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, SafeAmerica Credit Union is acting as the Hacienda sponsor of the holiday Business Park Food Drive, which is also taking place at the local Marina Village and Harbor Bay business parks. Last year, the Food Bank collected nearly 12 million pounds of food donated by producers, distributors, retailers, growers and individuals, and the Business Park Food Drive contributed over 20,000 pounds of food to the effort.

SafeAmerica Credit Union will be collecting contributions to the food drive as well as helping to fund it.

"In addition to donating money, we have a barrel that will be here and all of the companies in the park can come by and bring cans of food," says Janice Cox, vice president of human resources for SafeAmerica Credit Union. "We have a 24-hour rotunda, so anybody can come by anytime and drop off their cans into the barrel." If you want to make a donation, visit SafeAmerica at 6001 Gibraltar Drive in Pleasanton.

All food donations are welcome but certain things are in demand this holiday season.

"Basically we want good non-perishable food items" says Jennifer Gleason, special events coordinator for the Alameda County Community Food Bank. "Some of the things that we're specifically looking for are baby food, infant formula, boxed juice, canned vegetables, rice, beans, peanut butter, and pasta."

To encourage donations, SafeAmerica is also challenging the other credit unions in Hacienda Business Park to participate in the food drive.

"What we have done is to issue a challenge to other credit unions to come up with the most food items," Cox says.

SafeAmerica will be hosting a pizza party for the winner. "We're going to all the businesses that haven't already agreed to be part of the drive. We're knocking on their doors and bringing posters and bags and asking them to come by the credit union and bring their food to us as a drop-off center.

"We're open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm during the week and until 6:00 pm on Fridays."

According to Cox, the motto of U.S. credit unions is "People Helping People," and SafeAmerica is taking that slogan to heart in its participation in the food drive.

The credit union is not just calling upon its neighbors to participate, however. The challenge to generate a large amount of food donations is also being put forth within SafeAmerica.

"We're doing our own internal challenge. We have about 75 employees right now. We've broken it up into six departments of about 12 individuals and the department that brings in the most food and is the most creative in bringing in the most food will also get a pizza party." For more information on the Business Park Food Drive, drop-off locations, or to order a donation barrel, contact the Hacienda Owners' Association office at (925) 734-6500 or email your question or request to info@hacienda.org.

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