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SALT LAKE CITY — Fidelity Investments landed in Utah 30 years ago and shortly thereafter, employees of the business were notably giving back.
This year marks 23 years of the employees volunteering and giving to the Utah Food Bank, which assists families throughout Utah struggling with food insecurity issues, not knowing where their next meal may come from.
"We like to fundamentally help people live better lives," said Kris Liacopoulos, general manager for Fidelity's Utah region. She oversees about 2,000 local employees and each is encouraged to give through various service opportunities throughout the year.
"Every year, we exceed what we did the year before," she said Wednesday just before presenting the Utah Food Bank with a check for $207,432, collected from employee donations.
Liacopoulos said Fidelity employees held bake sales, ice cream socials, trivia contests and other events to encourage giving, but, perhaps the most popular is the manager dunk tank, where employees may "take out a little stress" on their bosses. They also volunteered many hours sorting and packaging food.
The donation, which far surpassed the $170,000 given by Fidelity employees last year, will be used to feed at least 185 Utah families of four for an entire year, said Ginette Bott, chief development officer at the Utah Food Bank. She said the money will provide well over 1.5 million pounds of food to hungry Utahns.
"Right in our own population, we have people who have lost a job or their home and are trying to make ends meet, having trouble finding food and shelter, even the basic needs we so often take for granted," said Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, who spoke at Wednesday's event. "This gift from Fidelity helps relieve a lot of human suffering in our midst."
An estimated 423,000 Utahns are challenged with food insecurity, with 1 in 5 being children at risk of missing a meal, Bott said.
"There's no reason for a child to be going hungry in this day and age," she said, adding that Fidelity's contribution will make a "huge impact."
The Utah Food Bank, which accepts donations of food, time and money, delivered and distributed more than 37 million pounds of food last year, through 143 partner agencies throughout the state. Partnerships with local corporations and businesses, such as with Fidelity, provide an example for the community, as well as education and awareness surrounding food insecurity in communities throughout the state.
