Why McCormick’s “Charity Day” is so much more than a day of giving

McCormick & Company has a longstanding tradition of making a difference in the communities we serve. Since our company was founded in 1889, we’ve been committed to the long-term vitality of our people; the communities where we live, work and source; and our planet.

One of the ways McCormick demonstrates this commitment is through our annual Charity Day. Established in 1941 by C.P. McCormick, then President and Chairman of the Board, Charity Day was originally a day on which employees would work and donate their pay—matched dollar for dollar by the company—to local charities. Over the years, Charity Day has expanded beyond a one-day event, and now takes place over an extended period, at McCormick locations in various regions of the world.

This year in the U.S., Charity Day will take place throughout September and October, depending on the location. Just like the very first Charity Day 78 years ago, employee contributions to charitable health and wellness organizations throughout the month will be matched by McCormick, doubling the impact on local communities and individuals.

Employees will have the opportunity to donate either time or money to their selected charity, as well as organizations included in McCormick’s Flavor For Life campaign, which works with community partners, nonprofit organizations and government agencies to provide education on healthy eating to children, adults and families. Any monetary Charity Day donations designated to Flavor For Life through Charity Day will get matched and donated to one of the local Maryland Flavor For Life partners, which were selected for their vast expertise in healthy eating programs and the resources to reach individuals that need support. These donations will offer support for programs like cooking classes, access to healthy food and other hands-on healthy eating education activities in underserved communities throughout the year.

At the McCormick Global Headquarters in Hunt Valley, MD, various events and activities will take place throughout Charity Day, such as Penny Wars, a fundraising competition among employees with a goal to collect as many pennies for charity as possible; a visit from Pets on Wheels, an organization that brings the joy of pet therapy to people all over the state of Maryland—one bark, pet, and lick at a time; and a Chef Executive Cooking Challenge, where employees will watch as Lawrence Kurzius, Nneka Rimmer, Mike Smith, Brendan Foley, Lisa Manzone and other members of McCormick’s management committee test their kitchen skills in a cooking challenge.

These service efforts are timely, as McCormick’s 130^th anniversary happens to fall in the middle of McCormick’s Charity Day. To celebrate this achievement, we are launching a special campaign to support hunger relief efforts.

Employees at our Global Headquarters will have the chance to participate in a McCormick Employee Day of Service event on September 27^th called “McCormick’s 130^th Anniversary: Rally Around Hunger for Charity Day,” where they will pack meal boxes for the Maryland Food Bank and Feeding America, while other U.S. and international regions will participate in on-site and virtual food drives. Our goal is to provide 1.3 million meals worldwide.

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