St. George Software Company’s Christmas Donation to Utah Food Bank Provides Over 91,000 Meals – St George News

ST. GEORGE – On behalf of its customers and employees, St. George-based software company TCN made a large Christmas donation to the Utah Food Bank.

Originally, the giveaway was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes it forced on the business over the 2020 holidays, but TCN decided to make another contribution when Christmas returned to new this year.

“This is the second year that we’ve been doing this,” TCN chief marketing officer McKay Bird told St. George News.

Bird said TCN’s usual tradition is to give food baskets and care packages to its employees and customers on Christmas.

But when COVID-19 restrictions were established in 2020, business leaders decided it would be appropriate to donate the funds they would have spent on these giveaways to the Utah Food Bank.

“Traditionally, we have sent over 1,500 care packages to customers and employees around the world,” McKay said. “We thought, ‘Let’s take the money we would have spent on these gifts and match it as a gift or in-kind contribution on behalf of our customers. “

TCN specializes in providing cloud-based software for call centers around the world. It moved to its global headquarters at 162 North 400 E. in St. George in 2018.

“Part of our mission at TCN is to give back and help where we can,” said Bird. “We thought we could have a positive impact by making sure our community is taken care of. “

The problems created by the pandemic had a significant impact on food security, prompting TCN to re-donate.

“Due to the way it was received last year and the current food security challenges in our region and across the Feed America network, we thought it would be appropriate to do it again this year.” Bird said.

He added that many TCN customers are delighted that the Christmas donation remains local.

“In southern Utah as a whole, there are 39,000 people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said Ginette Bott, president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank. , at St. George News. “One in five is a child. ”

Bott said the food bank needs three things that companies like TCN can provide: partnership, collaboration and giving.

“We can’t do what we need to do without partnerships like we have with TCN,” Bott said. “With their donation, we were able to help provide 91,350 meals in southern Utah. “

Bott said the food bank’s partnership with TCN offers more benefits than the meals themselves.

“The benefit of making new friends like TCN is the ability for these organizations to be part of the solution,” she added.

“There is the benefit of the immediate donation, and there is the educational awareness and the message that they will send to the people around them,” Bott said. “TCN does a great job for this. “

Rural areas of southern Utah are particularly affected by food insecurity, she said.

“The economic impact on a small town can be more devastating,” Bott said. “We need to reach as many people as possible. “

Christmas is said to be the season of giving, but Bott knows the need to entertain is year round.

“Even though the holidays come and go, hunger knows no season,” Bott said. “We see these people struggle every day. Anything that comes from our direction that we can give to them, we certainly appreciate it.

Bott said if you take a look at the community around you, it’s not hard to tell if people need help.

“Encourage people to get help. There are pantries statewide, ”Bott said. “Please encourage people to get help any time of the year.”

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