KENT Honored with “Spirit of Giving Award” as Top United Way Contributor
MUSCATINE, Iowa (February 23, 2023) – 100 volunteers representing thirty local businesses gathered at the Merrill Hotel Ballroom on Wednesday for United Way of Muscatine's inaugural Live United Celebration Luncheon, at which KENT was honored as 2022’s Top Contributor to the United Way.
“KENT’s contributions are so important to all the people our work benefits,” said United Way of Muscatine’s Executive Director Shane Orr, “United Way of Muscatine has the largest per-capita of giving and communities our size could not thrive without companies like KENT.”
Throughout the year, Muscatine-based KENT employees generously donate their time and dollars to help the non-profit, which advocates for education, financial stability, and the health of the whole community.
Initiatives at KENT, led by an employee-driven United Way Committee, include a United Way workplace campaign, school supply drives, sponsorship of events, and participating in United Way’s Day of Caring and Reading Mentors program. Additionally, KENT’s in-house kitchen team prepares Take-and-Bake meals about once a month for employee purchase, with proceeds supporting United Way.
Additionally, in 2022 KENT interns joined forces with the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Muscatine, and other local businesses for the first-ever, city-wide Intern Day of Caring. As a result of the collective effort, nineteen different community projects were completed in June.
“Addressing our community’s greatest needs cannot be done alone,” said KENT Corporate Spokesperson and VP of Human Resources and Communications, Carol Reynolds. “United Way brings all of us together to make progress collectively. At KENT, we are fortunate to support the United Way’s mission to mobilize resources to empower the greater Muscatine community to improve the lives of people in need.”
According to United Way, last year, donations from companies like KENT and individual givers helped The United Way impact the Muscatine community in the following ways:
-
Almost 600 people, including 250 children, avoided homelessness, and remained in stable housing.
-
Education and extracurricular activity barriers for 1,453 children were eliminated.
-
11,174 bags of food were distributed to families in need.
-
313 survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other violent crimes receive trauma-informed services, including counseling, advocacy, and assistance to obtain no-contact orders.
-
300 at-risk PreK-6th graders attended after-school programs focused on academic and behavioral improvement.
-
More than 550 households with affordable or sustainable housing through the Housing Cluster.
-
15,000 volunteer hours were logged within the community (representing a donation value of $375,000).
-
Appropriate footwear was provided to hundreds of children through United Way’s Kids First Fund.
“When you donate to United Way, your money makes a difference. Your money is reinvested into the Muscatine community to assist those in need,” - Kyle Fry, United Way of Muscatine Board President & Assistant General Counsel at KENT
To get involved and make a difference, join the United Way’s mission. Call 563-263-5963 to learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities.
About KENT® Corporation
KENT is a diversified, privately-held corporation with operating subsidiaries involved in corn wet milling, the production of animal nutrition and the manufacture of high-quality food, beverage, pharmaceutical and pet products. KENT is led by third-generation family member Gage A. Kent. The KENT family of companies serves customers across the world and employs more than 2,000 people in 40 locations across 20 states and seven countries.