ROME, NY – Kris-Tech Wire held a “Drive-N-Dine” food drive on February 9, handing out $100 vouchers to local Rome restaurants in exchange for non-perishable food items to help those in need. All donated food items went to the Rome Salvation Army.
“The food drive is a ‘three-fer,’” Kris-Tech President and CEO Graham Brodock said. “Not only are we able to help our local community members, but we’re able to help our local restaurants who are in a particular state of need, and they in turn can help our area Salvation Army.”
An array of local restaurants and cafes participated including pizzerias, diners, bistros, coffee shops, and bakeries.
After dropping off their food, participants received a gift card for a local restaurant. According to Wendy Calabrese, who oversees human resources at Kris-Tech, they have about 500 of these gift cards for food donors. “It helps everybody. It helps those in need, but it also helps the local Rome economy,” she said.
Kris-Tech has been fundraising to help local organizations in need during the COVID-19 pandemic starting in April when the organization donated $5,000 to Rome Hospital Foundation, followed by the Rome Rescue Mission, and Rome Alliance for Education.
Calabrese said Kris-Tech knew the hardship that hospitals were facing, that fundraising was down at the Rome Rescue Mission, and that children working remotely might not have all the supplies they needed. “Our culture at Kris-Tech is giving back to the community we work and play in,” she said.
“While this is a global pandemic, we all have a responsibility to think locally,” Brodock said. “Kris-Tech is here only because of our community, and we’re fortunate enough to be able to do this. It’s truly from all of us at Kris-Tech to our community.”
Kris-Tech Wire is a copper wire manufacturer headquartered in Rome, NY.
