2022 AMAIZING SWEET CORN GLEAN-A-THON & FESTIVAL
Cargill reaffirms its commitment to fighting food insecurity
As the lead sponsor of the 2022 Amaizing Sweet Corn Glean-A-Thon & Festival, Cargill is rallying a team of 25 to compete to shuck corn and deliver it to local food banks and agencies.
For the last seven years, Ryan Murdock has led a committee at Cargill committed to supporting and uplifting the Kansas City community. Cargill reinforces its employees’ volunteerism by providing paid time off to volunteer – and ensuring they’re connected with a cause they feel passionate about.
“We have time every month to go volunteer with an organization, and Cargill pays us to do that. It’s considered part of our job.”
In fact, in 2021 alone, Cargill contributed more than $110 million to charities in 56 countries. Its various divisions and employee-led groups partner with local civic, nonprofit, and non-governmental organizations on programs and projects that improve food security and nutrition; support human rights, equity and inclusion; strengthen farmer livelihoods; and advance its commitments in the areas of land use, water, and climate.
Cargill has supported After the Harvest’s fundraising efforts over the last three years, but in-person volunteer opportunities have dwindled over the course of the pandemic. So when Murdock heard about the 2022 Amaizing Sweet Corn Glean-A-Thon and Festival, he knew Cargill could show up in a meaningful way as a lead sponsor.
Cargill’s team of 25 volunteers is already preparing for the upcoming harvest, electing co-captains and building a scarecrow for the competition.
“The camaraderie and the competitiveness and the energy and the hustle that you see from our Cargill teammates is really cool.”
Starting next week, more than a dozen teams will meet at three farms across the Kansas City metro, where sweet corn was generously planted and donated by our gracious farmers. Teams will harvest as much corn as they can, and will help After the Harvest donate the bounty to local agencies that feed hungry people.
While Murdock acknowledges that volunteering isn’t easy to fit into a busy schedule, the payoff is worth it.
“Volunteering, especially when you have a corporate job takes a lot of planning and coordination and fitting work into your schedule,” he said. “But when you take a moment to give back, you fill your own cup up, so be meaningful and intentional with your time, and make sure that your calendar reflects the values that you hold personally.”
For more information on the Glean-A-Thon, click here. Check out details of our Sweet Corn Festival on July 30th here, and purchase game/food tickets in advance here.