As many things do, the organized effort to give back each time the Nationwide Marketing Group network comes together began humbly.
Almost two years ago, as PrimeTime in Orlando, Florida, neared, we partnered with a local charity, No Child Hungry, to organize a meal-packing event at the show. This planned one-off event transformed into a movement, and in November 2019, as the Nationwide Week of Giving was in full swing, that movement saw the 1,000,000th meal of the partnership between NMG and No Child Hungry packed and sealed at Queen City Audio Video Appliances in Charlotte, North Carolina.
That milestone was a direct result of the efforts of the thousands of Members, vendor partners, service providers, NMG staff and countless others who’ve participated in these events over the past 20 months.
At PrimeTime events in 2018 and 2019, as well as during the Week of Giving — which saw dozens of Member companies sponsor and host meal-packing events — so many individuals gave up so much of their time and effort for this incredible cause. We gathered around tables to make a difference in the lives of hungry kids. Tens of thousands of meals were distributed in each PrimeTime host city, in Haiti, in the Bahamas and in the local communities of the Member companies who participated in the Week of Giving.
Together, we’ve made a difference in the ongoing fight against child hunger, and in the process, something else has happened. In those moments, gathered around those tables, working side by side, there’s been a change in our very culture as a network. We’ve all known the scale of the NMG network for years; there’s real power in so many Independents coming together, and that power extends to our ability to give back. None of us alone could have conducted a million-meal packing effort.
But together, a million meals is just the beginning. Around these efforts, bonds have been formed. Relationships have deepened. We’ve made the world a slightly better place.
Our commitment to give back continues. In fact, we’re just getting started. As in all things, our efforts are focused on you, our Members. We’d love to hear from you. If you have ideas or suggestions on the network-wide give back efforts, or an idea for something we can assist with in your local market, please email us at giveback@nationwidegroup.org.
We stand ready to work with you as, collectively, we continue to give back.
Mike Whitaker is
