On November 15, Unifi hosted its largest-ever multi-site, multinational meal packaging event to support Rise Against Hunger. This year’s initiative, the third annual collaboration between Unifi and the nonprofit organization, expanded across six locations, including corporate and operational sites in the United States, as well as a facility in New Delhi, India. More than 600 Unifi team members packaged over 90,000 nutritious, shelf-stable meals, demonstrating Unifi’s commitment to making a tangible difference in communities worldwide.
Unifi’s third annual meal packaging event for Rise Against Hunger at our corporate office in Atlanta, Ga.
The event occurred simultaneously across Unifi’s corporate office in Buckhead in Atlanta, the Atlanta Operations Center, and sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville. The impact even extended internationally with support from the team in New Delhi earlier in the week, further demonstrating Unifi’s global commitment to fighting hunger. Each site hosted dedicated, energetic volunteer teams working together to package meals designed to provide essential nutrition and support for families and communities facing food insecurity.
Chief Operating Officer Greg Kennedy meal packaging with our frontline team members in Los Angeles.
Rise Against Hunger, a global hunger relief organization, champions sustainable community development by providing meals to address immediate needs and working alongside local leaders to implement sustainable agriculture projects that support long-term food security and empower communities to become self-reliant. Unifi’s partnership with Rise Against Hunger has grown steadily over the past two years. In 2022, Unifi packaged more than 15,000 meals at its Buckhead office, expanding last year to over 30,000 meals across multiple sites. This year’s unprecedented effort more than triples that initial impact, with meals destined for India and other countries worldwide.
Unifi’s Chief Legal Counsel, Bryan Stillwagon, emphasized the importance of this initiative as part of Unifi’s broader corporate social responsibility strategy and alignment with the company’s values of passion, integrity, and empathy. “Our team values a hands-on approach with a tangible impact,” said Stillwagon. “By partnering with Rise Against Hunger, we’re not only providing meals but laying the groundwork for sustainable development projects that support lasting change.”
Employees in Unifi’s corporate offices at the Salesforce Tower in Atlanta.
Last year, Stillwagon visited South Africa to witness the impact of Unifi’s partnership firsthand. While there, he spent time at a community school that received meals, seeing how the support helped provide consistent nutrition to students and empower the local community. But the meals are just the start. From there, Rise Against Hunger supports communities’ clean water initiatives, helping them create self-sustaining food sources and generate additional revenue through selling surplus food.
The meals packaged at the Atlanta Operations Center in 2023 fed 150 students in Johannesburg for the entire school year, fueling the children’s health, education, and development. Upon his return, Bryan shared these experiences with the team, underscoring the tangible difference their efforts make and inspiring an even greater commitment to the cause. “It starts with these meals. It starts with us,” Stillwagon reminded his colleagues. “These meals change entire communities.”
Unifi employees look forward to the Rise Against Hunger event each year, finding joy and purpose in the high-energy environment. With music playing and team members working together in assembly lines, the atmosphere is filled with camaraderie and excitement. For many, the impact is deeply personal.
Our team in India, further demonstrating Unifi’s global commitment to fighting hunger.
“We have many employees who have immigrated to the United States, including many refugees,” Stillwagon said. “For them, serving the community isn’t just about where they currently live but where they are originally from. Knowing that some Rise Against Hunger meals could be headed to their home communities adds a sense of connection and purpose.”
“What I’ve seen at Unifi is that everyone has a rich, beautiful heart, and they want to serve,” said Jim Quinney, Regional Philanthropy Manager at Rise Against Hunger.
Through this powerful global collaboration, Unifi employees embody the company’s dedication to serving the communities where they live and work and those around the world. From empowering sustainable food sources to providing nutrition to children in need, the 2024 Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event is a testament to Unifi’s mission to elevate the well-being of individuals and communities across the globe.
