The collaboration between Parker’s Tube Fittings Division (TFD) in Columbus, Ohio and its local food pantry began simply enough. The Division’s Community Involvement Committee (CIC) initially teamed up with the Hilliard Food Pantry in 2022 for a successful food drive. The partnership quickly expanded into team-building volunteer events, school supply drives and a dairy drive.
"There's nothing more fundamental than food," said Jason Patch, engineering manager. “We asked our team members what they wanted to do, how they wanted to support their community and heard loud and clear they felt this was a direct line.”
As it turned out, that direct line became a lifeline when a devastating fire severely damaged the Hilliard Food Pantry’s facilities one Sunday afternoon in July. News outlets described a total loss. It wiped out the Pantry’s food reserves and nearly $60,000 of refrigerators and freezers were destroyed, resulting in chaos for an organization that each month serves thousands of people in need.
"We received many e-mails from our TFD team members that weekend who had heard of the fire on the news,” Patch recalls. “So we reached out immediately to see what we could do.”
Within days after the fire, the CIC was able to facilitate an emergency grant from the Parker Foundation, reinforcing the company's commitment to rapid response in times of crisis. The Hilliard Food Pantry, supported by its community, reopened less than one week afterwards, operating out of a pop-up location to get food to the people who depend on them.
"Our leadership team not only encourages and supports volunteerism, but all actively participate as well," explains Lauren Macias, division human resource manager. “These activities are our opportunity to live out the Parker values.”
Indeed, for Maya Thurston, a Supply Chain Leadership Development Associate at Parker, volunteering at the Hilliard Food Pantry has profoundly shaped her two-year training experience:
"I want people to know purpose is more than just a section on our website—it's embodied in our daily work and community actions," she asserts. "Parker is fostering a culture of generosity, whether it’s mentoring associates like myself or offering hope and compassion through our volunteer work."
As of April 2024, the Community Involvement Committee had dedicated 400 volunteer hours to the Hilliard Food Pantry and amassed over $20,000 in Parker Foundation donations. More than 75% of team members were involved. All driven by a simple yet fundamental need—to ensure everyone in the community has access to food.
How do we turn intention into impact? When a company's purpose is lived through its actions, touching lives and strengthening communities with every act of service.
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