As part of the DOT, the FAA Federal employees at the Eastern Region, located
in Jamaica NY, along with FAA employees from Newark Airport Traffic Control
Tower (ATCT) and Republic ATCT began the Feds Feed Families (FFF) Initiative in
early July with a common goal and creative motto, “BE PART OF THE FUN, AS WE
RAISE A TON (a ton of food that is)”. The FFF Team consisted of members from
all Lines of Business. To provide some incentive, weekly opportunities to win
gift cards for coffee, donuts or bagels were provided. And within the first
four weeks we exceeded our goal by contributing over 2,000 pounds of food to
the local food banks of New York.
We worked with two food banks, City Harvest (covered NYC) and Island Harvest
(covered Long Island). In August, thinking that our co-workers would somehow
reduce their food donations, especially with school only four weeks away,
ASPIRE, the Federal Credit Union contributed some of their lime green polo
shirts as incentive to continue making contributions. Well, by the time the program
ended on August 31st the Federal employees of the FAA from the Eastern Region
in Jamaica, Newark ATCT and Republic ATCT had contributed 5,128 pounds of food
- over 2 tons!! What an accomplishment.
One Feds Feed Families volunteer commented that the FFF Food Drive has
helped remind our employees that there is more to consider than just nutrition.
Feeding is a powerful way to meet the basic needs of families in our immediate
community who are trying to survive and while at the same time demonstrating the
love we all have for those who are less fortunate than we are. Feeding families
has offered all of us the opportunity to connect with families who are in need
of a meal, but don’t have the resources available to them.
We were truly proud to be part of this monumental task of helping to feed
Americans, one meal at a time, through the Feds Feed Families Initiative.