Susan R.

Sr. Manager, Toast.org

Throughout the month of November, Toasters around the globe united to combat food insecurity in the communities where we work and live. As I reflect on our third annual Season of Giving, I am truly humbled and grateful for the impact Toasters have had and the assistance we have provided for our neighbors in need. 

Season of Giving is a global campaign designed to bring together the strength of  Toast’s people, products, and philanthropy to support organizations addressing hunger and food insecurity. This year, we hosted more than 70 volunteer events in 50 cities worldwide, bringing together over 1,000 Toasters! 

To help coordinate all of these events, Toast.org worked with our network of Local Committee Chairs. The local chairs are a group of Toasters that help us host meaningful and impactful volunteer events in their communities. These events allow us to bring the mission of Toast.org – to enrich the food experience for all – to communities around the world, and to bring Toasters together to connect, collaborate, and foster relationships across teams. We love hearing from Toasters about how much they enjoy coming together in service.

“This Season of Giving, the Toast Toronto team joined Meals on Wheels and spent the afternoon delivering meals to the elderly in the downtown core.” shared Tess C., Senior Territory Account Executive and Toronto Local Committee Chair. “Being a part of Season of Giving allows our team to take a step back from our standard day-to-day and give back to the community.”

Members of the Toronto team volunteering with Meals on Wheels!

In addition to facilitating local volunteer events, we also offered other opportunities to give back and learn more about hunger, a critical issue in the food ecosystem. We hosted an in-person and virtual food drive, which resulted in over 6,000 items donated to families in need. Looking for some friendly competition? Toasters in our Omaha, Reno, and Nashville locations participated in a canned-good sculpture contest, where they made art from their donations. We love seeing Toasters bring together philanthropy and creativity!

As a company, we pride ourselves on being a place where Toasters and their families can thrive. That’s why we sent Food Insecurity Kits to families, full of interactive activities that provide hands-on learning experiences for children around hunger and food insecurity. The kit includes everything needed to decorate a reusable grocery tote and to write a card for families who visit The Store, a food pantry in Nashville, TN. While conversations about hunger can be challenging, we know how important it is to educate children about food insecurity, and we were happy to incorporate this into the Season of Giving campaign.

Toast.org also had the opportunity to offer financial support to many of our partner nonprofit organizations. We provided $500,000 to local organizations addressing food insecurity, including 100 employee-directed hometown grants. The Local Committee Chairs each put together a list of organizations fighting hunger in their communities, described their impact, and asked local Toasters to vote on which ones received grants in their hometown. It was a very successful program that not only directed a half million dollars to impactful organizations, but also allowed Toasters to learn more about what’s going on in their own communities. 

Additionally, for every hour of logged volunteer time, employees were given $10/€10 in Volunteer Rewards which they could donate to an organization of their choosing through the Benevity platform. While on the platform, employees can also request up to $1,000/€1000 a year in Matching Gifts for organizations they have supported. 

We are always looking for ways that our products can assist those in need. Earlier this month, we announced that our Toast Fundraising feature enabled restaurants to raise $1.5 million for various causes in 2023. Available to all Toast customers at no additional cost, the Toast Fundraising feature allows restaurants to select a charitable cause to support, giving guests the option to round up their check to the next dollar and donate the difference or contribute a flat donation (depending on the campaign, as set up by the restaurant) when they close out their check. Learn more about Toast Fundraising!

Once again, Toasters have outdone themselves during this year’s Season of Giving. At Toast, we are guided by the belief that character is defined by action and that all of us working together can make the world a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable place. I can’t wait to see what 2024 holds and to further our shared culture of service and community engagement.