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ERC Partners with Blessings in a Backpack to Feed Children in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enhanced Resource Centers (ERC), an international business process outsourcing (BPO) and a full-service provider for every aspect of the customer lifecycle, has partnered with Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to mobilize communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry.

ERC’s decision to partner with Blessings in a Backpack is fueled by recent research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing there are more than 13 million children in the United States who live in food insecure homes. While many are able to take advantage of federal programs that provide meals during the school week, they often spend each weekend hungry. The consequences for children who face food insecurity go far beyond just a growling stomach. Poor nutrition in children results in weaker immune systems, increased hospitalization, lower IQ, shorter attention spans, and lower academic achievements.

Commenting on this news, ERC President and CEO Marty Sarim stated, “ERC has a very diverse culture comprised of a lot of families and we understand that hunger affects all walks of life. We are passionate about our people and know that children are our future. At ERC, we believe that no one, especially children, should go hungry. We are honored and humbled to be able to reach out and help the people in the communities around our campuses.”

As part of this partnership, ERC has sponsored 50 children for the 2018-19 school year at the Woodland Acres Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida. Employees from ERC’s Orange Park and Bayberry locations volunteer twice a month to pack backpacks full of nourishing foods for children who would otherwise not have food to eat over the weekend.

“In a county where 50 percent of the students in public schools are on the free and reduced lunch program, we look to local corporations to help provide the funds and manpower necessary to give children the nutriment they need during times when food is not available on the weekends. We thank ERC for partnering with Blessings in a Backpack to prevent childhood hunger and raise awareness about this silent epidemic,” said Stephanie Elobt, First Coast Blessings in a Backpack Program Coordinator for Woodland Acres Elementary.

ERC will also participate in two special packing days around the holidays where ERC employees from Bayberry and Orange Park will write special notes of affirmation to be included in holiday season backpacks that will be distributed throughout Jacksonville schools. These special messages are intended to provide cheer, encouragement, and lift the spirits of its recipients.

Sarim continued, “I’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of ERC’s employees who helped raise funds to make this partnership a possibility. When ERC people come together as a group, we achieve great things. We are a force for positive change in the communities in which we live and work.”

About ERC
ERC is a global BPO provider delivering end-to-end customer engagement driven by relationships, resources, and results. Its extensive client list includes more than 20 Fortune 500 companies. ERC is committed to providing an unparalleled customer experience with the quality control, business intelligence, and overall performance every client deserves by connecting them to superior talent and technology in domestic, near-shore, and far-shore locations. For more information, visit www.ercbpo.com.

About Blessings in a Backpack
Blessings in a Backpack is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Blessings in a Backpack is currently feeding more than 87,000 children in over 1,000 schools in 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The program is a hybrid of private sector funding and public partnership carried out in schools.

Blessings in a Backpack has been honored with the highest possible rating of four stars by Charity Navigator, an independent organization that evaluates the effectiveness and financial transparency of U.S. charities. The organization is also a GuideStar Platinum organization, the highest level of recognition offered. As of April 2018, of the 49,000+ charities rated by GuideStar, only 8% are Platinum.

For more information, contact Rachel Jackson, SVP of Marketing at rjackson@ercbpo.com or 904-874-1141.

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