Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” At OnMessage, we believe there is much truth to this statement, which is why give back to the North Texas community by helping to raise awareness about important issues such as hunger and its impact on the community.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes hunger. Texas ranks second in the nation for food insecure households. In North Texas, food insecure households experience hunger seven months out of the year. According to Feeding America, more than one in six North Texans are food insecure. One in four is a child. This is especially notable because food insecurity effects how well children are able perform in school, especially early education. According to the North Texas Food Bank, “Kindergarteners who experience food insecurity at home learn less than their peers do during that formative year. Those who experience higher food insecurity fall even further behind.” In other words, food insecurity leads to an insecure education.
In 2008, the national food insecurity rate rose significantly and has yet to improve. OnMessage was quick to recognize the long-term impact this could have on our community. That same year we launched an annual Thanksgiving Canstruction celebration inspired by the popular event established by the Society for Design Administration (SDA) and American Institute of Architects. Each year, OnMessage employees collect 1500 cans of nonperishable food items and build a six-foot Christmas tree with the cans. The tree remains in our lobby through the holidays. In January, we donate the cans to the North Texas Food Bank, a nonprofit organization that provides 65 million nutritious meals to hungry children, families and seniors throughout the North Texas community. This time together is both a celebration of one another and a gift to our community.
Thanksgiving is a time of fellowship and reflection. At OnMessage, we believe this is also a time for strengthening our commitment to our community and celebrating the many blessings experienced throughout the year.
