2020-July-02
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Driving Out Hunger
BY RAUL PEDRAJA · SENIOR MANAGER GLOBAL PARTNER ORG · UNITED STATES
After more than 20 years of full-time employment, I decided to wind down and work part-time to devote more time to my elderly family, including my mother and aunts.
During my visits, sometimes I take my toolbox to do some home repairs; sometimes, I just visit. And, of course, I play golf.
But in the middle of a global pandemic, I saw an opportunity to devote time to my community.
At the onset of COVID-19, the number of those in need to use food banks swelled as the number of people out of work or without a place to live, increased. I saw the reports of food banks running out of money and wanted to help.
In April, I approached the general manager at Cypress Lake Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida, with a fundraising idea. Together, we presented the concept of a four-day fundraiser — the “Drive Out Hunger Challenge” — to the club’s board of directors. They agreed to host the event in conjunction with the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
The goal was to raise funds to feed local families who may not know where or when they’ll get their next meal. It could be the neighbors next door, the mom who I see driving her kids to school every day — people you never imagine are in need.
They may have just lost a job or might be underemployed. They could be battling illness, struggling on a fixed income, or dealing with a life-changing circumstance, such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
I wanted to help.
Our club’s golf pro helped get the program in motion while I focused on raising funds through per-stroke sponsorship. Quite a few of my colleagues in the Global Partner Organization responded immediately and became instrumental in the $1,000 I raised on my own.
On the day of the event, we carried our own golf bags and followed social distancing guidelines, so there was plenty of room to stand back and watch others swing away! I shot an 81 and an 84, which translated into $8,000 of food for those in need.
I was overwhelmed by the support of those willing to join the fight and extremely grateful for the people who helped me create awareness and raise donations.
My club set a modest goal of $5,000, which we easily met and exceeded. We shattered our goal and raised $20,000. The Harry Chapin Food Bank turns every dollar collected into $8 of food, totaling $160,000 or 80,000 meals!
The fundraiser was covered on local news outlets and Golf Channel. I felt like a celebrity while the media followed me for several holes to shoot advertisements for the event and challenge other golf organizations across the country.
Through our culture of giving back, Cisco indirectly sponsored the event. Our CEO, our leadership team, and our employees focus on serving our communities around the world every day.
Giving back is in our DNA, and I am proud to work for a company that continually supports those in need.
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