As part of our 11 Days of Service community initiative, the New York Red Bulls partnered with Covanta to deliver small meal boxes for 100 families at Camden Street Elementary School. Covanta also donated branded, insulated grocery tote bags to each family receiving the meal boxes.
“It is always great to be able to share the same company values with our partners like Covanta who know how important it is to give back to our community. Not only do our values align, but Covanta is also embedded in our community, making teaming up with them on this initiative a no-brainer,” said Taylor Holbrook, RBNY Manager, Marketing Partnerships. “Covanta was generous enough to donate insulated grocery totes to every family picking up their food items. Volunteering alongside Covanta has been a great way to meet new people and shows that we are a united front tackling this difficult year together.”
Samuel Garrison, Principal at Camden Street School, sees the partnership with the Red Bulls as one that aligns because both the club and school firmly believe that “we’re stronger together.” The effects of these donations help out the families of the students at Camden Street School.
“Covering the food cost, even, albeit if it's temporarily, does give them savings to be able to spend on other things such as rent or WiFi because we know that school is now done remotely,” said Garrison. “Some families, they're going to need support in terms of whether it's WiFi, connectivity, and everything comes at a cost. We can give them some savings where they can apply it to other areas, that would be tremendous.”
Kenneth Armellino, Director of Environmental Science and Community Affairs at Covanta, sees this opportunity to collaborate with the Red Bulls as one to help out their community.
“One thing this pandemic has made clear is how much we need to support each other through this time of such great uncertainty. The things we do, the choices we make and the precautions we take, or don’t take, to combat this dangerous virus, have a direct impact on everyone around us,” said Armellino. “As members of a community we have a responsibility to look out for one another; to look for ways to help our neighbors however and with whatever means we can.”
With this initiative completed, Principal Garrison sums it up best, this is not a sprint, but a marathon, in which the more people involved, the lighter the burden becomes because we’re doing it together.
“The work ahead is going to be more effective, it's going to be more productive, it's going to have a more far-reaching impact if the journey is not done alone,” said Principal Garrison. “I think seeing Red Bulls, and the idea of partnership and collaboration speaks to the fact like let’s say you're going on a journey, and you have a destination in mind, you can always leave quicker if you leave by yourself. But I would argue that you'll get there faster if it's a long journey.
“The work that we're talking about, and we’re trying to do is a marathon, not a sprint, you'll actually get there quicker if you take people with you. So while you rest, other people can drive and vice versa. And we realize that the burden becomes lighter because you're doing it together.”
