In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine provided a stark reminder of how delicately interconnected our economy is. For example, most employees at DuPont's Wilmington, DE, headquarter sites worked from home for the majority of the year, and essential workers were made to follow strict contact guidelines. This had a severe effect on onsite food services, placing the contractors who worked in the cafeterias and coffee stations in an uncertain position. 

DuPont found an innovative solution to keep some food service workers gainfully employed.  After brainstorming with our contractor, Sodexo, the companies collaborated with two local nonprofit organizations to deliver "to go" meals to community members, which was especially impactful during the onset of the global pandemic.

A small group of Sodexo employees returned to DuPont kitchens to prepare, pack and deliver 500 meals per week for 10 weeks, which equated to about $180,000 in food and labor cost, benefitting at least 3,000 people in Wilmington.

In addition to alleviating food insecurity, this project also helped to reduce operating costs for the nonprofit organizations, which were hit hard financially by the pandemic while the need for their services grew.