This year, Melaleuca Team Members proved that kindness and competition go a long way toward fulfilling our mission statement: “To enhance the lives of those we touch by helping people reach their goals.”
This year’s company-wide food drive collected more than 14,500 canned goods in 274 boxes. The donation was made to the Idaho Food Bank to help families in need throughout eastern Idaho who might be struggling this holiday season.
Additionally, the comradery that surged through all of Melaleuca’s Idaho locations was inspiring as Team Members from several departments gave from their hearts and participated in the fun.
Can the Boss
“While we initially promoted the food drive as a friendly competition to get people invested, it quickly escalated into something more as we realized the overall impact we were making,” said Melaleuca Chief Information Officer Todd Sorenson.
IT Team Members were happy to “Can the Boss” by filling Todd’s office with canned goods over a few weeks. And they were quite successful by donating 4,187 food items.
“The higher the cans stacked, the more people wanted to participate,” said Senior Administrative Assistant Jessica Gines. “It got to the point where you didn’t want to meet with Todd unless you brought a can of food.”
“I feel like I’ve got a brand-new office,” Sorenson laughed now that the food is boxed and donated to the food bank.
Pie in the Face
Similarly, in the International department, friendly competition spurred team members to collect 5,460 food items for the annual food drive. For every dollar or two cans of food donated, Team Members voted for someone else on the team to get a pie in the face.
“Our goal was to have fun with each other while making a difference in people’s lives,” said Wayne Billman, International Vice President. “In the end, everybody was laughing because so many votes were submitted that everyone received a face full of whip cream.”
Taco Tuesday
In Business Development, Team Members showed their generosity by donating food, money, and Accolade points—normally redeemed for prizes based on performance—to purchase items for the drive. The department divided into two teams with tacos on the line for the winners.
“Business Development believes in, loves, and lives Melaleuca’s mission statement,” said Dave Martineau, Business Development Director. “Our team rallied around the opportunity to help those in need in our community.”
In a surprising twist, Martineau treated the entire department to tacos. As a whole, the department donated 2,093 food items for the cause.
The Hunger Games
Not to be outdone, the Rexburg Call Center collected 2,491 items during a team vs. team competition they named “The Hunger Games.” Each food item counted as one point, but to keep things interesting, every package of Ramen noodles counted as a negative point. Dropping negative points on other teams became a way to stay ahead of the competition while still contributing to the growing piles of food.
“It was hilarious to see team members bring in pallets full of ramen and sabotage other teams,” HR Administrative Assistant Maddie Landers said.
Melaleuca: A Generous Culture
“The competition and friendship that spread throughout Melaleuca was a direct result of the hard-working, generous culture fostered here,” said Jamie Reynolds, Vice President of Human Resources. “This is a place where our Team Members celebrate accomplishments, cheer on each other and lift up the community.”
Fun and games aside, Team Members eagerly embodied Melaleuca’s mission and took action to enhance the lives of families who are less fortunate. They came together to make a real difference in the community, and because they did so, the holidays will be much brighter for hundreds of families!
