On Thursday, November 21, EnviroScience’s Corporate Responsibility Committee (CRC) hosted the 2024 Mike Trump Chili Cookoff. This annual event is not just about delicious chili; it’s a way to honor the generosity and spirit of Mike Trump, a beloved colleague who exemplified kindness, service, and dedication to helping others.
Staff members from EnviroScience and their families submitted chili entries this year. For a charitable donation of $15 each, employees could enjoy a lunch that included 15 different chili tastings, salads, side dishes, bread, and desserts, allowing them to vote for this year’s winner. In alignment with our environmental commitment to sustainability, participants were encouraged to bring their own utensils, bowls, cups, and muffin tins to save on tasting cups!
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank: A Legacy of Hope and Service
The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank (ACRF) has been a cornerstone of compassion in Northeast Ohio since 1982, addressing hunger across eight counties. In 2022, the ACRF distributed 30 million pounds of food and other essential items, providing 23.3 million meals, with the support of 7,400 volunteers who donated over 55,000 hours of service.
In 2023, the ACRF experienced unprecedented demand, serving more people than ever. They reported a 26% increase in service compared to 2022, attributing the surge to economic challenges and the conclusion of pandemic-era benefits.
The ACRF operates under a mission to lead a collaborative network that empowers people to experience healthy and hunger-free lives, focusing on values such as compassion, collaboration, service, integrity, inclusion, and innovation. As a member of Feeding America, they work tirelessly to serve communities where hunger is most prevalent, especially among children and seniors.
Proceeds from our annual chili cookoff benefiting the ACRF will support their ongoing efforts to combat hunger in the region.
2024 Chili Cookoff Yields Over 4,200 Meals to Underserved Families
This year’s event was a resounding success, raising over $700 to support the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Double Dollar Day on December 2, 2024. Generous partners, including The J.M. Smucker Company, T.L. Squire, and others, have pledged to match donations up to $92,500, doubling our contribution.
The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank estimates that every $10 donated provides 30 meals, meaning our collective efforts will supply over 4,200 meals to those in need.
The cookoff featured a variety of delicious chili recipes. Congratulations to our top finishers:
- 1st Place: Alison Frohn with her ‘Netflix and Chili’ recipe
- 2nd Place: Cam Turney
- 3rd Place (Tie): Chuck Howard, Michael Whitacre, and Lynn Myers
A special thank you to Erik Matonak, Becki Pedone, Mary January, and all the “secret cleaning elves” who ensured the event area was spotless afterward.
To learn more about similar initiatives and methods for you or your company to donate to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and how your contributions make a difference, visit their official page at https://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org/.
We encourage everyone to continue supporting our community and honoring Mike Trump’s legacy through participation in future events.
Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results.
Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment,” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today as our scientists explore the latest environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.
EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to aquatic surveys (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring); emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; sustainability services; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.
