This July marks TD SYNNEX’s 3rd annual Next Meal Campaign, a month dedicated to addressing food insecurity in our communities. Food insecurity is the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food. In 2023, about 282 million people globally were affected by food insecurity and hunger, according to the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises by the World Food Programme.
Throughout the month of July, co-workers are encouraged to support local organizations that help feed our communities. This year, TD SYNNEX summer interns also participated in the Next Meal Campaign by volunteering with local organizations in Clearwater, FL, Greenville, SC, Gilbert, AZ, and Herndon, VA.
TD SYNNEX’s Summer Internship Program is part of TD SYNNEX’s early career and university recruitment initiatives and is designed to give students exposure to a variety of elements of TD SYNNEX. This summer’s interns have joined teams across various departments within the organization such as Sales, Product Management, Business Development, Partner Enablement, IT, Operations, Legal, Finance, Accounting, and Credit. Within this program interns partake in personal and professional development sessions such as: executive speaker series, panel discussions, intern bonding activities, resume & personal branding workshops, final presentations, and intern volunteer day.
For this month’s Feel Good Friday, we asked some of our interns to talk about their experience participating in the Next Meal Campaign and share their thoughts on the importance of Corporate Citizenship.
Meet our interns:
- Jennifer Urena-Cruz – Jennifer is based in the Clearwater, FL office and is a University Acquisition intern. She is a senior at the University of South Florida.
- Kieran Hagerty – Kieran is based in the Greenville, SC office and is a Product Management intern. He will be graduating from Coastal Carolina University in December.
- Caroline Altstadter – Caroline is based in the Gilbert, AZ office and is a Partner Enablement intern. She is a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder.
How did the volunteer activity with Feeding Tampa Bay impact you personally and professionally?
Jennifer Urena-Cruz: The activity with Feeding Tampa Bay impacted me personally by providing me the opportunity to work with a large group of people that were all collectively working towards a greater good. We were able to organize and sort through bulks of food at such a quick pace, and it made me realize just how important each helping hand was at this event, and how just a few hours of your day can really go a long way in improving someone’s day, week, or entire lifestyle. Professionally, it impacted me by making me realize that I want to work for a company whose values align with mine and who empowers their employees to take the time to give back to their communities. Being able to contribute to the great work that Feeding Tampa Bay is doing to combat food insecurity and hunger was a really insightful, eye opening, and heart-warming experience that I’m so thankful for.
How did your time with Harvest Hope Food Bank impact the community?
Kieran Hagerty: My time with Harvest Hope impacted the community by bringing awareness to the situation [of food insecurity]. Sometimes those experiencing the situation can be swept under the rug, forgotten, or feel alone, so bringing awareness would be the best impact that it’s made in the community.
How did volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank impact you personally and professionally?
Caroline Altstadter: I pulled into the huge parking lot, and it was full. It was only 9am and the parking lot was already full. So, going in and seeing how many people were willing to give up their personal time to volunteer and make the community a little bit stronger was really inspiring to me. Professionally, this is the first company I’ve worked with that has not only offered Volunteer Time Off, but really encourages their co-workers to become a part of the community and do something to make the community better.
Why is Corporate Citizenship important for companies like TD SYNNEX?
Jennifer: Companies like TD SYNNEX who have recognized that people are their power can make greater strides towards meeting their company goals because they’re investing in the well-being of their employees, the communities, and surrounding environments.
Kieran: Here at TD SYNNEX, we value our relationships with vendors and co-workers. We work with thousands of vendors and have thousands of co-workers, so [building] relationships is a big aspect and that’s what differentiates us from our competitors.
How do you see younger generations shaping the future of corporate citizenship?
Caroline: I know a lot of my peers will look at a company or their product and see if it was produced ethically and if the company gives back to society.
Thank you to our summer interns who participated in this year’s Next Meal Campaign. We are thankful for your contributions to our company and our communities!
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