Melaleuca’s Recent Charitable Giving: Enhancing Lives Across the Nation

Melaleuca Giving Tree 2024
Melaleuca Team Members donated toys and clothing to provide to the Salvation Army.

The new year’s arrival brings new opportunities to serve, enhance lives, and support the community. As Melaleuca: The Wellness Company looks forward to the fresh start, we also reflect back on the charitable work that was recently accomplished. As 2024 drew to a close, The Wellness Company was engaged in a variety of charitable initiatives to help families in need.

During the fourth quarter, The Wellness Company was actively involved with several programs, such as supplying the Salvation Army with toys and clothing through the Angel Tree program and buying groceries for the annual community Thanksgiving dinner. Our Team Members and executives physically served in food pantries. And we donated thousands of boxes of chocolate to local heroes, supported our soldiers and veterans, and gave generously to food banks.

Supporting the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program

Each year, Melaleuca Team Members look forward to spreading glad tidings by participating in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program to help families in need.

This program identifies children in need who could benefit from winter clothes and toys. Team Members eagerly take the tags and purchase gifts for a child and then leave the gifts underneath the Melaleuca Christmas tree. All gifts were brought to the Salvation Army, which distributed them to the children. Of course, Christmas itself is not about gifts, but to these children, the presents are far more than just fun or practical items—they’re a small but profound reminder that they are not forgotten.

“Melaleuca employees constantly show generosity and compassion,” said Captain Steve Staneart of the Salvation Army. 

On Friday, December 13, Melaleuca Team Members came to the Salvation Army building in Idaho Falls to organize the bags of gifts for local children, from toddlers to teenagers. The service was in support of the Angel Tree program, in which community members purchase and donate gifts based on information for specific children.

Reflecting on this experience, Clinton Dahlberg, Melaleuca Research & Development Senior Director of Innovation, said, “Walking into the Salvation Army facility, we saw gifts for the less fortunate stacked in every open space – halls, gymnasium, church pews, basement! It was amazing to see that all these donations came from our small community to help make sure every child on the list had a brighter Christmas with toys and warm winter clothes. Volunteer opportunities like this make me so proud to be part of team Melaleuca!”

Melaleuca Salvation Army Gifting
Melaleuca Team Members and the Salvation Army organized gifts to be given to children in the community.

A Community Thanksgiving Banquet

Melaleuca has partnered with the Salvation Army for many years, and for the last four years, Melaleuca has donated the funds to buy virtually all of the festive food for an annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner.

For the 2024 Thanksgiving dinner, Melaleuca Team Members and the Melaleuca Foundation donated $4,000 to cover the cost of the meal.

In 2023, more than 900 people were served, whether in person at the dinner or through delivered meals to disabled, elderly and shut-in families. In 2024, we saw a similar number of happy, well-fed people, demonstrating that food insecurity is still a major concern.

Thanksgiving Banquet
Thanksgiving meals were provided to the community through donations from Melaleuca.

Spreading Cheer in Knoxville

In Knoxville, Melaleuca’s manufacturing and distribution Team Members supported the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. As a labor of love, they filled boxes with 626 pounds of food, donated over 40 hams, and gave cash through a virtual food drive.

“Thank you for your incredible generosity,” said Kristi Rule, Senior Manager of the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “Hosting both a traditional and a virtual food drive along with the donated holiday hams by your associates made a positive impact on our local community who are burdened with feeding their families this season. … This holiday season, we are grateful for you!”

Rule estimated that Melaleuca’s contribution in Knoxville translated to 1,287 meals.

Melaleuca Knoxville Food Drive
Knoxville Team Members organized food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.

Rolling Up Their Sleeves to Serve

In late November, several Melaleuca Management Team members came together at the Community Food Basket to sort food that had been donated to the warehouse. These executives wanted to take the opportunity to serve, sorting thousands of pounds of food and reducing many hours of work for the nonprofit’s staff.

Melaleuca CEO Jerry Felton, President Cole Clinger, CFO Thomas Knutson, SVP of International Jake Mangum, and other Melaleuca Management Team members
Melaleuca Management Team members served at the food bank warehouse.

Last year, many Melaleuca Team Members helped the food bank sort food after four advertising campaigns run by Melaleuca brought in thousands of pounds of canned food.

Empowering Nonprofits with Financial Support

In 2024’s fourth quarter, Melaleuca Team Members—empowered by a 100% match by the Melaleuca Foundation—raised more than $56,000 for five nonprofits!

These funds either have or will be distributed to the following nonprofits:

Heart 2 Hand Bingham Food Pantry – Melaleuca will buy them a large commercial walk-in freezer, transforming the scope of their operation, along with providing funds for food.

Community Food Basket – Melaleuca bought a three-door commercial freezer along with providing funds for food.

United Way of Bonneville County – Through this nonprofit, Melaleuca provided children with food during the Christmas break as well as new jackets, boots, gloves and other clothing for the harsh Idaho winter.

Ronald McDonald House – Melaleuca provided funds for this charity to buy perishable food to help families who have children staying long term at hospitals and neonatal intensive care units.

The Idaho Foodbank – Melaleuca continued to support Idaho’s largest food bank.

“This is a Christmas miracle,” said Jen Worlton, Director of the Heart 2 Hand Bingham Food Pantry. “I’ve been pinching myself since receiving the good news that Melaleuca wants to donate over $30,000 for a walk-in freezer unit. Their donation will enable us to accept larger donations and help far more people because we will finally have the ability to store perishable items on a much larger scale. It will have a lasting impact, touching the lives of countless individuals for many years to come.” 

Worlton added, “Our mission statement is ‘Together we can do more than we can do alone.’ It is amazing to see so many good people put their hearts and hands to work and make a lasting impact. We are so grateful to Melaleuca! Thank you!”

Additional funds from the Melaleuca Foundation were used to support the Christmas Basket Project, which is an interfaith project between St. Vincent de Paul, Holy Rosary Church, First Presbyterian Church, Christ the King Catholic Church and others.

Supporting America’s Heroes

In December, the Melaleuca Foundation donated to the Veterans Mobility Corporation (VMC), which refurbishes donated power wheelchairs for veterans and spouses and children of veterans. This lean nonprofit has repaired and delivered hundreds of electric wheelchairs to veterans in need.

Due to the nature of repairing this kind of equipment and the lack of a large workforce, the work can be slow at times.

“Melaleuca’s donation ensures that America’s heroes can retain their mobility and dignity and enjoy their lives,” said Brad Smith, Vice President of the Veterans Mobility Corporation. “We are appreciative of Melaleuca’s generosity and want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU for their kindness. Without supporters like Melaleuca, these power wheelchairs wouldn’t go round and round for our veterans.”

Additionally, to honor America’s heroes, Melaleuca donated turkeys and hams to soldiers of the Idaho National Guard.

Melaleuca's donation helped provide power wheelchairs to veterans in need.
Melaleuca’s donation helped provide power wheelchairs to veterans in need.

Relief After Hurricane Helene and Milton

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Melaleuca and the Melaleuca Foundation quietly supported dozens of families, sent funds and products to multiple food banks and local churches, stocked American Red Cross shelters, and donated beef to organizations in the affected regions.

A Melaleuca semitruck drove from Idaho Falls to Knoxville to prepare for a three-day tour consisting of 10 different stops in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida.

The Wellness Company also sent relief in the form of tens of thousands of dollars to the following food banks: Mannah Food Bank in Asheville, North Carolina; Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee in Maryville, Tennessee; Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta, Georgia; Feeding Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida; and Second Harvest of the Big Bend in Tallahassee, Florida.

After Hurricane Milton’s destructive impact on the west coast of Florida, The Wellness Company delivered over $70,000 in essential supplies to affected communities throughout the state.

Melaleuca looks forward to doing even more to feed the hungry and support worthy nonprofits in 2025.