UniFirst Donates Over $1 Million Worth of PPE to the Greater Boston Food Bank

Leading uniform and facility services provider delivers supplies of protective face masks and hand sanitizer to member of Feeding America for those in need

News provided by

UniFirst Corporation

Apr 19, 2021, 09:36 ET

BOSTON, April 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:UNF), a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniforms, workwear, and facility service products, announced today their donation of over a million dollars worth of protective face masks and hand sanitizer to The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present life-threatening and debilitating obstacles for communities across the country, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other materials are more essential than ever to help ensure safe and healthy transportation and distribution of emergency food and supplies to our neighbors in need across Eastern Massachusetts.

Adam Soreff, Director of Marketing and Communications; Julianne White, GBFB Vice President of Food Acquisition; Nancy Marvonek, Director of Talent Management; Steve Sintros, President and CEO; Adam Simeone, Route Service Manager; Brian DiFillippo, General Manager; Keira Campbell, Events and Employee Engagement Specialist; Serina Ryder, Employee Engagement Manager; and Brian Morrill, GBFB Senior Manager of Donations.

UniFirst's donation includes 500,000 disposable masks, nearly 200,000 reusable face masks, , and over 120,000 bottles of hand sanitizer. The supplies will be distributed to GBFB's 600 food distribution partners in 190 cities and towns across the region. This PPE will also be used to help keep GBFB team members and volunteers safe.

"Keeping employees and volunteers at GBFB's partner food pantries and direct distribution sites safe is of paramount importance so they can continue serving over double the number of clients served since the beginning of the pandemic," said Catherine D'Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. "We're incredibly grateful for UniFirst's generosity in providing these necessary protective items to help ensure that GBFB and our hunger-relief network partners can continue to serve those in need."

As a member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, GBFB is the largest organization dedicated to providing emergency support through food in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. Last year, GBFB distributed 98.9 million pounds of healthy food, the equivalent of 82.4 million meals. Recent reports from GBFB food pantry partners show a chronically high demand for emergency food in their region with an average of over 600,000 people who may be receiving help from a food pantry every month, more than double the number reported prior to the start of the pandemic.

"The pandemic has created urgent needs for health and safety precautions, and it has also reinforced the importance of community support — two missions that are essential to our business," says Steven Sintros, UniFirst president and CEO. "The work that Feeding America and The Greater Boston Food Bank are doing in our community and across the U.S. is inspiring, and we're proud to provide resources that will make it easier and safer for their team members to continue their important efforts."

This donation is just the latest included in UniFirst's ongoing national efforts in 2020 and 2021 that has provided hundreds of thousands of protective face masks and significant supplies of hand sanitizer and other PPE in support of small business revitalization across North America. For more information on UniFirst and the company's philanthropic endeavors, please visit UniFirst.com.

About UniFirst
Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, as well as the delivery of facility service programs. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also provides first aid and safety products, and manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products; and with 260 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 14,000 employee Team Partners, the company outfits more than 2 million workers each business day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 800.455.7654 or visit UniFirst.com.

About Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, GBFB distributed the equivalent of nearly 82 million meals in 2020 through its network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs in the 190 cities and towns across Eastern Massachusetts. A member of Feeding America, the nation's food bank network, GBFB's mission is to end hunger here and it is committed to providing at least three healthy meals a day to everyone in need. For more information, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.

SOURCE UniFirst Corporation