To close out the historic year of 2020, Ralph's and Meridian teamed up to give back to their communities with 12 random acts of kindness. Amanda and Jenny were all over the Lower Mainland sharing warmth, smiles, and even a few tears along the way.
Covenant House Vancouver
Our first act of kindness went to one of the pillars of community support services in the Vancouver area. Covenant House works with homeless children and youth including those who have aged out of the foster system. Since cash donations to Covenant House are tripled, our donation of $1000 amounted to $3000. Read more about Covenant House Vancouver.
Assistant Service Dogs of BC
Our second act of kindness was a donation of $1000 to ASDBC. These pooches are trained as multi-purpose dogs to assist people diagnosed with emotional/physical disabilities, and also as autism service dogs working with children and adults living with autism. Read more about Assistant Service Dogs of BC.
Aldergrove Firehall
Random act of kindness #3 was a trip to the Aldergrove Firehall. Ralph's deli and bakery shift manager, Sara, baked up 10 bags of cookies, grabbed a freshly packaged Meridian Butcher Bundle, a $100 gift card, and surprised the fireman who were on duty. The fire-fighters decided to pay it forward by donating the gift card to their local foodbank.
Some Friendly Faces
Where would we be without the dedicated and hard-working employees at Meridian and Ralph's? Our fourth act of kindness was a surprise to our very own team across all eight locations. We gave them coffee gift cards, treats, and other small tokens of our appreciation as they continue to serve our customers through the pandemic.
Festive Flowers and Bouquets
For our fifth act of kindness our cashiers in Ralph's gave away festive bouquets of fresh flowers from The Bouquet Farm in Chilliwack. This was a heart-warming way to say thank to just a handful of our customers. Read more about The Bouquet Farm.
Critter Care and The Happy Herd
Our sixth act of kindness was for some animals in need. Murray loaded up our truck with some Okanagan produce which we delivered to some local animal shelters. Critter Care Wildlife is dedicated to saving injured and orphaned native animals, and The Happy Herd offers a home to at-risk or abused farm animals. Read more about Critter Care and The Happy Herd.
Kim's Angelz
We visited Kim's Angelz in Langley for our seventh act of kindness to donate teddy bears, blankets, and socks for those in need. This non-profit society works with families who may be struggling or just settling into the community, as well as the local homeless population. Read more about Kim's Angelz.
Surrey Christmas Bureau
We stopped by the Surrey Christmas Bureau for our eighth act of kindness, but we didn't come empty handed. Our vehicle was loaded with toys and games for children and preteens, and we're happy to know that the Bureau was able to get these into the hands of those who needed them the most. Read more about the Surrey Christmas Bureau.
Tsawwassen Boys and Girls Club
Our ninth act of kindness was chosen by our Tsawwassen store manager, Sarah, who was born and raised in the area. The Tsawwassen Boys and Girls Club works with youth by providing school programs, counselling, and support for substance abuse. We were thrilled to donated $1000. Read more about the Tsawwassen Boys and Girls Club.
Down Syndrome Resource Foundation
Our tenth act of kindness went to the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation which strives to empower those living with down syndrome. They promote both social and economic inclusion from childhood through adulthood. We were honoured to donate $1000 to this foundation that is near and dear to us. Read more about the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation.
Senior Animals In Need Today Society (SAINTS)
Even animals need a helping hand when they reach a certain age and that's where SAINTS, based in Mission BC, comes in. Working with animals in their senior years as well as those with special needs, this non-profit provides shelter and much needed care for the final leg of these animals' lives. Our donation of $1000 will go towards food and supplies. Read more about SAINTS.
Butcher Bundles Giveaway
There's our wonderful Bryn, the store manager at Ralph's, getting these bundles ready for a special giveaway. For our twelfth act of kindness we gave away two bundles to each winner and encouraged them to pay it forward by offering one of the bundles to someone who may be in need. A huge thank-you to our customers and communities for participating and for your continued support.
