Celebrating our Founder Sam Kitchell

Last month we came together to celebrate our Founder Sam Kitchell by volunteering with nonprofit organizations in communities where we live and work. During our annual Founder’s Day, Kitchell employees-owners representing five states and 21 communities participated in 30 community projects, ranging from park clean-ups in Anaheim to making care packages at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The list of organizations we benefited includes:

Our efforts resulted in nearly $30,000 raised for these local charities by donating $25 per employee, per hour to the nonprofits where our employee-owners volunteered.

Thank you to Sam Kitchell for having the vision to found Kitchell nearly 70 years ago, and to all of our employee-owners who are committed to sustaining his legacy of philanthropy and community service!

Watch our Founder’s Day video at this link.

#KitchellGivesBack in a big way

Sam Kitchell was a man who believed doing good reaps rewards. During his lifetime he and his wife Betty gave time and money to dozens of nonprofits, ranging from the Desert Botanical Garden to the Arizona Kidney Foundation. He was a man of incredible energy and kindness. And in the name of the community spirit he espoused, Kitchell employees recently volunteered for a total of 27 community service projects throughout Arizona, California, Texas and Washington, representing more than 1,000 hours.

Kitchell’s inaugural Founder’s Day was Sept. 11, marking the day of Sam’s passing in 2006 and National Day of Service and Remembrance. In Sam’s name, teams of Kitchell employees (wearing an iconic Sam Kitchell insignia) hit the streets with their tools, time and energy and tackled efforts ranging from vegetable harvesting for food banks to school maintenance projects. Community projects took place starting Sept. 5 with the San Diego Food Bank and ending with a project 10 days later, painting rocks to spread joy on behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Sacramento on Sept. 15. Some employees took time away from work, and others dedicated time on weekends.

Participation was not mandatory, but the all-volunteer effort resulted in 260 volunteers and 1,012 recorded hours. Kitchell donated $25 for every hour employees volunteered up to four hours per person. The total contributions over the 10 days were $17,150 for charitable organizations in Arizona, California, Texas and Washington. The organizations we supported throughout the campaign include:

UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge

San Diego Food Bank

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern California

Ranger Road Freedom Jump

Santa Barbara Food Bank

Honor Health Desert Mission Food Bank

Bright Beginnings Preschool

Assistance League of Phoenix Operation School Bell

Feed My Starving Children

UMOM New Day Shelter

Community First! Village Mobile Loaves & Fishes

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento ReStore

Anaheim Cove Park Clean-Up

Rebuilding Together Houston

Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank

Green Apple Day of Service at Chula Vista High School

MiraCosta College

Ben’s Bells

St. Mary’s Food Bank

Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

Sacramento Food Bank

San Luis Obispo Food Bank Coalition

Operation Care & Comfort

Folsom Cordova USD Adult Education Program

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention of Greater Sacramento