The Sundt Foundation recently put its money where its mouth is by supporting an Arizona nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger. Earlier this month, two Foundation members volunteered to deliver a $6,000 check to United Food Bank in Phoenix and tour their facilities to see for themselves how an organization can provide more than 51,000 meals to hungry people in Arizona every day.
“Every dollar provides five meals,” says Jayson Matthews, United Food Bank’s Chief Development Officer. “It reflects our great purchasing power as well as the many ways we can leverage donations, relationships, and donors like Sundt!”
Melanie Healey, one of the Foundation representatives who delivered the check, was particularly impressed with United Food Bank’s lean operation and emphasis on healthy alternatives and education.
“They are focused on educating families and children about the importance of making healthy choices,” Melanie said. “They have acquired a small, refrigerated vehicle that allows them to take smaller amounts of healthy, fresh, often locally grown fruits and vegetables to smaller organizations in need of food to distribute. They’re even involved with organizations that are taking those seasonal vegetables that some have never experienced and teaching them how to prepare them. It was pretty exciting to see what they’ve got going on!”
The Sundt Foundation was established in 1999 by Sundt Construction, Inc., as a way for its employee-owners to give back to the communities in which they work. In addition to funding grants every quarter, the Foundation also sponsors volunteer activities to benefit nonprofit organizations. The grant money comes primarily from contributions made by Sundt employees, which are matched dollar-for-dollar by the company.
Since its inception the Foundation has made grants totaling more than $6 million to hundreds of worthy organizations. Approximately 75 percent of the money goes to help disadvantaged children, with the remaining 25 percent dedicated to community issues. Employees can also earmark their donations for charitable organizations that benefit members of the military and their families.