One of the unfortunate side effects of our digital age is that unfounded and hateful allegations can be easily spread to the public, even years after they have been dismissed as untrue.
I have experienced this firsthand due to the recent reappearance of old rumors by extremist bloggers regarding charitable contributions made through our non-profit organizations to worthwhile causes. Even the Anti-Defamation League has dismissed the accusations as baseless, but they continue to live online nevertheless.
As I have written many times before, when I started Edible Arrangements from a small storefront in East Haven, Connecticut, I had no idea it would achieve the success we have enjoyed over the last 15 years. From the start I have focused on building the business the right way, based on the values I was taught as a child.
Thanks to the passion and trust of our franchisees, who are from all walks of life, all cultures and faiths, Edible Arrangements has grown beyond my wildest dreams. I am living proof that the American Dream is still alive and well.
As I have also written in the past, with success comes responsibility. My faith is clear that I have a responsibility to share a portion of my success for the benefit of society, and one of my true joys has been providing support to organizations and causes who are helping those less fortunate.
Sadly, two of these contributions have been the focus of the hate-mongers who have used them to attack, me, my family and, as a result, everyone at Edible Arrangements.
Anyone who knows me and my family, knows there is no truth to them.
At the time, the accusations were so outrageous that I felt it best not to acknowledge them publicly. When customers, franchisees, friends or business associates asked me about them, I reassured them they were not true. By addressing them publicly, however, I felt I would only give them the credibility they didn’t deserve and cause undue concern.
Due to the recent turmoil in the Middle East, however, those looking for villains have again given life to these ridiculous rumors. And, I feel I must address them now.
In 2011, the Farid Foundation made a contribution to ICNA Relief USA, a New York City-based subset of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), for the purpose of building housing for battered women. ICNA Relief, which has also partnered with such important organizations as FEMA, the Red Cross and Catholic Charities, provides a wide range of services designed to help those in need. I am proud that we were able to join many other businesses and organizations in providing a refuge for these women.
In 2012, we again joined many other well-known businesses and organizations in supporting a street festival organized by Inner City Muslim Action Network. Among other purposes, the event was designed to encourage healthy eating habits among youth. During a franchisee meeting in Chicago I had the opportunity to visit their clinic and halfway houses for people making the transition from prison back into society. I was moved by the work they are doing in this area. The organization’s clinic and food distribution network are nationally recognized. Our support is small, compared to that provided by the U.S. Department of State and other major corporations, but I am very supportive of the programs this organization provides in its community and proud to be among its supporters.
Even though both of these organizations and projects are supported by many well-known businesses and organizations, and both have been honored by the White House, for some reason our contributions have been singled out, and their purpose twisted by those who would use them to spread their hate.
As with most charitable organizations, I understand that questions will sometimes be raised about where the money is going and how it is used. That is why we have always been very transparent about which organizations we support.
We are very careful in our selection process to make sure that our support goes to legally recognized, non-profit organizations, and, as much as possible, that our contributions are used for the causes for which they have been requested.
Below is a list of causes that we have supported over the years. I would be the first one to take an organization to task if I ever learned that our contributions had been used to spread hate and bigotry.
Our company is based on celebrating what is good in life, and I will continue to willingly share my success by supporting those who are helping others lead a better life.
After all, helping others is the American way.
WHO WE SUPPORT
Following is a comprehensive overview of support provided through the Tariq Farid Foundation, the Farid Foundation and Edible Arrangements.
TARIQ FARID FOUNDATION DONATIONS
2014
- Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer (New Haven, CT) – provides emotional, educational, medical and financial support to families with children who are receiving cancer treatment.
- Bloom Again Foundation (California) – provides financial support for low-income working women who are facing serious illness.
- Community Soup Kitchen (New Haven, CT) – soup kitchen.
- Fresh Air Fund – at-risk youth summer camp.
- Hands on Hartford, Manna Food Pantry (Hartford, CT) –food pantry.
- House of Bread (Hartford, CT) – soup kitchen.
- Hubcap Wallingford (Wallingford, CT) – co-working space, business incubator.
- Life Foundation (Pakistan) – providing access to safe, untainted blood for transfusions.
- Master’s MANNA (Wallingford, CT) – soup kitchen, food pantry, free medical services and more.
- Meriden Soup Kitchen (Meriden, CT) – soup kitchen.
- Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis – women’s shelter.
- St. Vincent de Paul (Middletown, CT) – soup kitchen.
- Integrated Immigrant and Refugee Services (IRIS) (New Haven, CT) – resettlement, cultural and social acclimation services for newly arrived refugees.
- Salma K Farid Academy (Hamden, CT) – Islamic elementary school, day care and community center.
- Salma Khatoon Hospital – provides free healthcare for 33,000 people annually.
- Solar Youth (New Haven, CT) – at-risk youth programming.
- Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer (New Haven, CT) – provides financial support to lower income families of children newly diagnosed with cancer.
- Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services
- United Moslem Mosque (Waterbury, CT) – Muslim house of worship and food pantry.
- West Haven Community House (West Haven, CT) – sponsorship of annual walk and health fair.
- Youth @ Work (New Haven, CT) – youth employment program.
- YMCA Wallingford (Wallingford, CT) – financial assistance fund.
FARID FOUNDATION DONATIONS
2013
- Aid to individuals in Connecticut and throughout the United States in need of financial assistance.
- American Legion Auxiliary #45 (Meriden, CT)
- Connecticut Burns Care Foundation (Milford, CT)
- Family Services of Waterbury (Waterbury, CT) – aid for abused women and children.
- Integrated Immigrant and Refugee Services (IRIS) (New Haven, CT) – resettlement, cultural and social acclimation services for newly arrived refugees.
- Masjid Al-Islam, (New Haven, CT) – Muslim House of Worship.
- Salma K Farid Academy (Hamden, CT) – Islamic school, daycare and community center.
- Salma Khatoon Hospital (Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan) Provides free healthcare for 33,000 people annually.
- United Moslem Mosque (Waterbury, CT), Muslim House of Worship and Food Pantry.
2012
- Aid to individuals in Connecticut and throughout the United States in need of financial assistance.
- Alex Rolon Cancer Fund (Connecticut), donation to a local family whose child had cancer.
- Catholic Relief Services (Baltimore, Maryland)– Haiti earthquake relief.
- Cheshire Academy (Cheshire, CT) – education.
- Columbus House (New Haven, CT) – Homeless shelter and services for the homeless.
- Connecticut Burn Care Foundation (Milford, CT) – support for burn unit in Bridgeport Hospital.
- Connecticut Hospice
- C.R.E.W Relief to Rebuild Alabama – community revitalization efforts in Alabama, a project of Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford, CT.
- Family Services Of Waterbury (Waterbury, CT) – Aid for abused women and children.
- http://www.imancentral.org/ – donation for a health fair which includes encouraging healthy eating habits among youth and to provide low-income youth backpacks for the upcoming school year.
- Integrated Immigrant and Refugee Services (IRIS) (New Haven, CT) – resettlement, cultural and social acclimation services for newly arrived refugees.
- Islamic Association of Southern CT – Islamic community based organization.
- Islamic Center of Wallingford (Wallingford, CT) – Muslim house of worship.
- Masjid Al-Islam (New Haven, CT) – Muslim house of worship.
- Medina Academy (Windsor, CT) – private elementary, middle and high school.
- Meriden Soup Kitchen (Meriden, CT) – soup kitchen
- Milford Youth & Family Services (Milford, CT)
- Miss Connecticut scholarship fund
- Norton Elementary School (Cheshire, CT) – elementary school.
- Orange Visiting Nurses Association (Orange, CT)
- St. Baldrick’s Foundation – California-based organization fighting childhood cancer.
- Salma K Farid Academy (Hamden, CT), Islamic elementary school, day care and community center.
- Salma Khatoon Hospital (Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan) – provides free healthcare for 33,000 people annually.
- United For Change (New York, NY) – poverty relief.
- USPAK (Ellicott City, MD) – youth leadership organization.
- Yale University, School of Medicine, Pediatrics (New Haven, CT) – childhood cancer research.
- Zaytuna College (Berkeley, CA) – tuition assistance for needy students.
2011
- Aid to individuals, in Connecticut and throughout the United States, in need of financial assistance.
- Columbus House (New Haven, CT) – Homeless shelter and services for the homeless.
- Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (New Haven, CT) –soup kitchen
- Get Inspired, Inc. – California-based arts and sciences program.
- ICNA Relief USA – New York City organization supporting shelters for abused women.
- Inner-City Muslim Action Network (Chicago, IL.) – donation for a health fair which includes encouraging healthy eating habits among youth and to provide low-income youth backpacks for the upcoming school year.
- Islamic Center of Wallingford (Wallingford, CT) – Muslim house of worship.
- Meriden Soup Kitchen (Meriden, CT) – soup kitchen
- Muslim Coalition of Connecticut (West Hartford, CT) – promotes social responsibility through educational and outreach activities.
- Oman Charitable Organization (Oman) – Somalia Relief Fund.
- Salma K Farid Academy (Hamden, CT) – Islamic school, daycare and community center
- Salma Khatoon Hospital (Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan) Provides free healthcare for 33,000 people annually.
2010
- M.J. Petretto Foundation (Wallingford, CT) – support for Gaylord Hospital Traumatic Brain Injury Unit.
- USA Edhi Intn’l Foundation (Pakistan) – social services such as medical, child welfare, abused women safe houses, and other services.
EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS / EDIBLE CARES
- American Red Cross
- Breast Cancer Society of Canada
- International Franchise Association (Washington, DC) – support for advances in technology in franchising.
- Multiple Sclerosis Society.
- National Breast Cancer Foundation (US)
- VetFran (Washington, DC)- business education and support for veterans.
For more about the The Farid Foundation, I invite you to visit www.TariqFaridFoundation.org.
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