Keene, N.H. – C&S Wholesale Grocers has awarded Drew Sander the company’s 2019 Volunteer of the Year award.
Drew, who was badly burned as a child, created the Sander and Mattis Burn Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps young survivors lead normal lives after a burn injury. Drew volunteers his time in schools to educate teachers and students on what to expect when a classmate has been burned. He is certified by Phoenix SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery), an 80-hour training that includes time in a hospital burn unit. He also raises funds so that burn victims can go to specialized summer camps in N.Y., P.A. and W.A. at no charge. Drew’s efforts have made it possible for several families to attend the annual Phoenix World Burn Congress where 900 burn survivors, their caregivers, burn professionals and firefighters gather to increase their knowledge and support of burn recovery. Drew has been an employee of C&S’s Finance team for five years. When receiving this honor, Drew stated, “It’s important to me to make a difference for young burn survivors by showing them there is life after being burned. Sharing my time and experience to guide them and their families through that journey is my calling.”
“Drew Sander’s commitment to help others is inspirational to us all,” said Rick Cohen, Executive Chairman of the Board of C&S. “Drew made a memorable impression on me when I first met him years ago,” he said, “and I’m even more impressed today with the impact he has on the community through his volunteer work which is extraordinary.”
C&S CEO Mike Duffy added, “Drew Sander’s decision to devote his time to young people and to share his experience as a burn survivor is a wonderful example of paying it forward. On behalf of our entire company, I’m proud that he’s being honored as our Volunteer of the Year.”
Drew received a standing ovation by nearly 900 colleagues at the company’s recent State of the Business Meeting at their headquarters in Keene, N.H. He will be featured on the company’s website and highlighted in the 2019 edition of the C&S Community Involvement Report. Each year since 2005, C&S has recognized a Volunteer of the Year for lending their time, talent and support to causes they care about in their community and for inspiring others.
C&S Family of Companies Community Efforts
To honor National Volunteer Month in April, C&S Family of Companies employees rolled up their sleeves to accomplish 25 projects for charitable causes and community organizations, including in:
- California: Served dinner to the homeless at St. Mary’s Dining Room in Stockton; served breakfast and sorted donated clothing at the Poverello House in Fresno
- Connecticut: Sorted and packed at the Connecticut Food Bank in Wallingford; served a meal at the Senior Center in Windsor Locks
- Florida: Landscaped at the Brentwood Elementary School in Miami; led crafts, games and other activities at the All Saints Early Learning and Community Care Center in Jacksonville; packed bags for children enrolled in the summer meals program and for the homeless at the United Food Bank and Services in Plant City
- Hawaii: Assisted with the annual statewide food drive for the Hawaii Foodbank
- Louisiana: Painted the gymnasium at Hammond Eastside Magnet School in Hammond
- Massachusetts: Volunteered at a STEM event at the Wilmington Middle School in Wilmington; spruced up the grounds at the Southampton Road School in Westfield; cleaned and sorted donations at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Hatfield
- New Jersey: Cleaned up the grounds and gardens and washed windows at the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities in Edison
- New Hampshire: Painted bedrooms, bathrooms, the kitchen and dining room at the Emergency Family Shelter in Keene
- New York: Sorted at the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley in Cornwall-on-Hudson
- Ohio: Sorted and packed items for Matthew 25: Ministries in Cincinnati; assisted at the Sandusky County Food Pantry in Fremont
- Pennsylvania: Helped with the spring clean-up at Leg Up Farm in Mt. Wolf; lent a hand at a community event held by the York City Parks in York; mulched, planted flowers and tidied the grounds at the Bethany Children’s Home, in Womelsdorf; assisted at Feed the Children’s “teacher store” for Title 1 schools in Bethlehem; socialized and played games with senior citizens at the YWCA in Bethlehem
- South Carolina: Sorted at the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston; served lunch at the Salvation Army in Greenville
- Vermont: Sorted at the Vermont Foodbank in Brattleboro
About C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. is the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S. and the industry leader in supply chain innovation. Founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores, C&S now services customers of all sizes, supplying more than 14,000 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with over 140,000 different products. We are an engaged corporate citizen, supporting causes that positively impact our communities. To learn more, please visit https://www.cswg.com.
C&S community involvement programs support initiatives to fight hunger and to promote the health and enrichment of communities that are homes to the company’s employees and facilities. To learn more, visit http://community.cswg.com.