Community Service Projects
Our focus to help our local communities worldwide extends to the community service projects that we support with our contributions, time and talents. On any given day, a Heinz employee somewhere in the world is making a difference. Our culture embraces the spirit of volunteerism and encourages employees to give back to their communities. Our facilities and offices are active in supporting a variety of non-profit organizations and charity events. We promote employee contributions to non-profit organizations in our communities and provide matching funds to maximize donations. We also consistently make corporate contributions.
Australia
Employees in Heinz Australia receive two paid days annually to volunteer at a registered charity or organization. Some community service programs include:
Help@Hand
Each Australian site implements the Help@Hand community service program, which makes positive contributions in the neighborhoods where employees work and live. A Help@Hand local leader works with site employees to raise funds for a local community project. Heinz Australia matches funds raised dollar-for-dollar to maximize charity donations.
Employees at Heinz Echuca utilized the Help@Hand program to purchase a new fetal monitor for Echuca Regional Hospital’s maternity wing. Since the facility is dedicated to making infant foods, employees from Heinz Australia wanted to support infant health in the community.
FareShare
Another organization that benefits from community service projects supported by Heinz Australia is FareShare. Heinz’s Out-of-Home (foodservice) team volunteered in the FareShare kitchen, where they helped to make meals for people suffering from hunger. FareShare concentrates on providing hand-held food since many of the food recipients live on the streets without access to dishes and cutlery.
FareShare
Heinz's Out-of-Home team volunteered in the FareShare kitchen, where they helped to make meals for people suffering from hunger.
FareShare
Heinz's Out-of-Home team volunteered in the FareShare kitchen, where they helped to make meals for people suffering from hunger.
“Nourish: Your Child’s Future Health Today” Research Study
Heinz Australia, India and the U.S. are underwriting the first major study of infant-feeding practices in Australia. This four-year research project will provide valuable insights into the impact of early childhood feeding behavior on food preferences and eating patterns later in life. The project is significant because this type of research is rare and has international significance since obesity is a global public health issue.
Heinz is contributing $355,000 over four years for the project, which is being conducted by the Queensland University of Technology’s Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation.
Continental Europe
Heinz Continental Europe encourages employees to engage in community service projects. These projects are also supported by the local Heinz Foundation. Some examples are:
- Symen Wiersma, a Heinz employee from The Netherlands, is partnering with the Ayubowan Foundation to provide financial assistance and encouragement to the young residents of Sri Lanka’s Children’s Homes. In 2008, with support from the Dutch Heinz Foundation, a room for ill children was built.
- Employees in Poland support the “Picnic for Children” program on Child Day and Heinz provided aid for elementary schools near the site in Pudliszki.
- Chris Folens, a Heinz employee from Belgium, is part of a team that is funding and organizing a special training week for Gent Reynaertschool’s 12-to-16-year-old students, based on the principle “learning by doing.” The training week aims to teach everyday living and social skills and build self-esteem in disadvantaged students.
India
Heinz India employees participate in the Student Intervention Program of Kotak Education Foundation. The program aims to support children and youth from underprivileged families to empower them to rise above the poverty line and lead a life with dignity. Heinz volunteers visit the center on Saturdays, where they teach English communication workshops to teens and young adults.
Japan
Chefs from Heinz Japan conduct cooking schools for children living in orphanages. This outreach effort teaches children how to cook age-appropriate cuisine and live an independent and healthy life.
Ukraine
Heinz is a key partner in the Gardening for Life program, which aims to teach and demonstrate the basics of gardening, agriculture, horticulture and food processing to Ukrainian orphans through a hands-on process.
Ukraine
Ukraine orphans learn the basics of gardening through the Gardening for Life program.
Heinz believes that by introducing sustainable gardening and food preservation technology, the children will develop a tremendous sense of accomplishment as they help things to grow, work together and enjoy eating the fruits of their labor. Gardening for Life is a natural extension of the work Heinz does to teach sustainable agriculture to growers around the globe.
United Kingdom
The Kitt Green facility held a talent show to benefit BBC Children in Need. Employees had fun sharing their talents while raising £15,007 for this worthy cause.
United States
The H.J. Heinz Company Foundation oversees a volunteer group called HELPS, which stands for Heinz Employees Lending Public Service. This flagship volunteer program facilitates employee involvement and participation through a grass-roots approach. Volunteer opportunities for U.S. employees are coordinated through an internal web site that helps employees collaborate on projects and schedule events.
United States
Heinz employees participate in the Race for the Cure.
United States
Heinz employees collect items for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
United States
Heinz employees collect items for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Employees who make volunteerism an integral part of their lives can help their favorite non-profit organization even more thanks to Heinz HELPS award grants. This “Dollars for Doers” program rewards U.S. employees who volunteer 50 hours of time in a fiscal year to a charity group with a $250 Heinz grant to that organization. A group HELPS grant is also available anytime employees collectively volunteer more than 50 hours for one specific organization.
Employees in Pittsburgh volunteered at several charity organizations including:
United States
Heinz volunteers gathered treats and baskets for the children in Bradley Center.
- Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank: Employees set up a virtual online giving tree to gather holiday food items for needy families to enjoy a complete holiday meal. Items were collected, assembled and distributed through the Food Bank.
- Bradley Center: Employees gathered Easter treats and assembled activity baskets for behaviorally challenged children in the regional child welfare system.
- Family Links: Employees collected winter coats, holiday gifts and basic household items for disadvantaged families.
Heinz also gets involved in various charity events, including the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and the Memory Walk, which benefits the Alzheimer’s Association. These activities typically involve employee “teams,” which strengthen camaraderie and provide personal fulfillment.
Jefferson Awards
Sarah Anthony
Sarah Anthony is the Heinz 2009 Jefferson Awards winner.
In the U.S., Heinz recognizes employee volunteerism through the Jefferson Awards for Public Service program, which spotlights individuals who have dedicated their lives to public service.
Sarah Anthony was the Heinz 2009 Jefferson Awards winner. Sarah is a human resource coordinator for Heinz North America. She spends a great deal of her spare time with Girl’s Hope, where she is president of the Young Leadership Board. Girl’s Hope nurtures, educates and houses disadvantaged girls with promise so they can reach their full potential. Sarah is a strong role model who mentors the young girls who live at the Girl’s Hope homes. Sarah has helped Girl’s Hope substantially increase its fundraising capacity through various charitable events, and she spends many hours with the girls on extra-curricular activities. Sarah’s volunteerism demonstrates her belief that giving back a portion of what you have is important.
Margaret Daniels
In 2008, Margaret Daniels, buyer in our Procurement Department in Mason, Ohio, was the Heinz Jefferson Awards recipient.
In 2008, Margaret Daniels, a buyer in our Procurement Department in Mason, Ohio, was the Heinz Jefferson Awards recipient. Margaret volunteers at a number of homeless shelters, animal shelters and soup kitchens in southwestern Ohio. She also raises funds for many local charities by participating in walks and serving on boards of directors. Fellow colleagues describe Margaret as a dedicated, supportive role model who spends countless hours and much of her own money to help those in need.
Venezuela
Heinz Venezuela initiated a corporate program called PROSIGUE that provides medical, emotional and social support to children at risk of dropping out of primary school. PROSIGUE was launched at the San Joaquín-based school where students who were at risk of quitting school were identified.
A commitment from the school administrators and authorizations from parents were obtained so Heinz could facilitate pediatric check-ups, laboratory exams and dental services to 53 students in grades 1-6. A licensed social worker has begun making home visits to develop a specific diagnosis of the conditions of each child. This will serve as a baseline to determine the second phase of the program, which seeks to prevent school desertion by eliminating risk factors that lead to such an event.