Countrywide Food Service Distributors, Australia’s largest group of independently owned wholesale distributors of goods to a variety of foodservice establishments and outlets, is no stranger to helping charities. Countrywide initially began to support a charity after one of its distributors introduced a silent auction at the company’s National Awards Night. Since that evening, Countrywide has established partnerships with numerous selected charities where they can work together on a longer-term basis.
Most recently, Countrywide was seeking a new charity partner for the 2017/2018 period. When developing a shortlist, they looked for: a charity that had national coverage so that each one of the Countrywide 115 distributors/members could get involved, a charity receiving little or no government assistance, and a charity which Countrywide distributors and suppliers could collectively engage with. As everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, Countrywide was confident that a cancer charity would be the best fit. Countrywide recognised ACRF’s uniqueness in their funding of research for all types of cancer and their mission to end cancer through providing equipment needed to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Michelle Wearing, Countrywide Marketing Manager said, “The funding that ACRF is able to provide for grants enables some amazing research to take place. When you hear about the positive results that have been achieved from those research projects and how those results are then implemented to improve patient well-being along with preventing cancer in the first place, it is incredibly exciting.”
Countrywide also values the positive impact that fundraising has on their staff. The company has already held a number of events to raise money for ACRF through staff donations. Those events included a multi-cultural lunch where enthusiastic staff members brought in a national dish to share. It was a lunchtime that celebrated the company’s diversity and enhanced its culture. In addition, Countrywide stakeholders are eager to get involved and support ACRF at the company’s next silent auction.
“Working with ACRF really fits with Countrywide’s Mission, Vision and Values and we look forward to raising more funds for ACRF to continue their great work in cancer research.”
Share your story
Image: Countrywide presented Australian Cancer Research Foundation with $90,000 in donations.
Related Posts
