Grant will support program providing weekend meals for children
—— Press Release ——
WALLINGFORD, Conn. (February 9, 2016) — During a presentation by the Connecticut Food Bank to Edible Arrangements employees at the corporate headquarters last fall, Edible Arrangements founder and CEO Tariq Farid was especially moved by the details of one specific program. As a result, the Tariq Farid Foundation recently delivered a $25,000 grant to the Connecticut Food Bank in support of its Kids’ BackPack Program.
Prior to Thanksgiving, employees at the Edible Arrangements corporate office in Wallingford hosted a food drive, and invited Cheryl Thompson of the Connecticut Food Bank to a staff meeting to share details of the organization’s work providing food to over 300,000 Connecticut residents in need. In particular, Thompson described the Kids’ BackPack program, which currently provides more than 3,300 schoolchildren with weekend food packets.
Farid said that Thompson’s description of the program immediately struck a chord.
“Whenever I hear that there are kids in need, my heart breaks,” Farid said. “No child should ever go hungry. They should always have access to the food they need to grow and thrive. When I heard about this program I was determined to do what I could to help the Connecticut Food Bank bring a consistent source of nutrition to kids in need.”
On the spot, Farid pledged $25,000 to support the program, prompting a spontaneous hug from Thompson.
Last week, Farid and his wife, Asma, presented Connecticut Food Bank Interim CEO Paul O’Leary with the $25,000 grant through his charitable foundation, the Tariq Farid Foundation.
“This gift from the Tariq Farid Foundation will have a great impact on our work helping ensure that children in Connecticut have the food they need to grow and learn,” O’Leary said. “We thank Tariq and Asma for their vision and their investment in Connecticut’s children.”
O’Leary also thanked the Edible Arrangements employees for their support of the Connecticut Food Bank with the pre-Thanksgiving food drive.
“With their donations of food and time, the Edible Arrangements team is making a real difference in the lives of Connecticut residents who struggle with hunger,” he said. “We value their partnership.”
After touring the Connecticut Food Bank’s new headquarters and distribution center, just two miles from the Edible Arrangements corporate headquarters in Wallingford, Farid said he was amazed by the scale of the facility, as well as the programs operated by the organization.
“I loved seeing so much fresh produce being donated and distributed,” he said. “I know many families struggle to get by during a time of unemployment or medical crisis, and this source of food makes all the difference to them.”
About The Tariq Farid Foundation:
Founded in 2013 by Tariq Farid, the Founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements, the mission of the Tariq Farid Foundation is to alleviate suffering by providing for the basic needs of food and healthcare, and to improve lives through the support of education and skill development opportunities that enable individuals to reach their full potential. More information on the Tariq Farid Foundation is available at tariqfaridfoundation.org.
About the Connecticut Food Bank:
The Connecticut Food Bank is the state’s non-profit leader in the fight against hunger and the largest provider of charitably donated food. The Connecticut Food Bank partnered with the food industry, food growers, donors and volunteers to provide enough food last year to prepare more than 18 million meals. The Connecticut Food Bank distributes that food through a network of community based programs to more than 300,000 people across six Connecticut counties. Visit the Connecticut Food Bank on the web at www.ctfoodbank.org, or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @CTFoodBank.
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