When our founder started the Smith Drug Company in the late 1920s, he made clear to his employees that they should always focus on improving the lives of the people they serve and the towns they call home. It's a value that ensured Smith's drug stores would survive the Depression and flourish across the Southeast – and it's a value we hold dear today. From our corporate headquarters to our business units to the J M Smith Foundation, we've never lost that dedication to serving our community.
In November 2022, Smith Drug Company, a division of J M Smith Corporation, raised more than $7,400 to supply Thanksgiving meals within the Upstate community through employee donations and a company match.
“Our employees are incredibly generous and take to heart any opportunity they have to give back to the community where we all live and work,” said Rick Priester, Operations Project Manager for Smith Drug Company. “We're grateful to have the means to provide those in need with some well-deserved meals this Thanksgiving season with the support of The Bridge Ministry at First Baptist Church.”
Smith Drug Company partnered with First Baptist Church of Spartanburg to secure the food and prepare it for meal boxes. The original goal for the food drive was 100 boxes, and this was exceeded with the donations from employees to reach 140 boxes. With the contribution from the J M Smith foundation, the amount will reach the equivalent of 280 boxes. Each box contains 14 items of food that serve several meals.
“At The Bridge, our mission is to connect people with hope and love, and we’re thrilled to see members of our community come together to bring that to fruition,” said Lucy Sizemore, Managing Director of The Bridge at First Baptist Church of Spartanburg. “We first partnered with Smith Drug Company in 2021 for several food drives, and we’ve enjoyed bringing support to the Upstate alongside them once again for this season’s initiative.”
This donation is representative of the company’s community outreach program called “Smith Gives Back.” Employees participate in charitable opportunities throughout the year and support a variety of local organizations, including United Way of the Piedmont, Mobile Meals and the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. Since the inception of the J M Smith Foundation more than 25 years ago, over $43 million has gone to support non-profit organizations through employee contributions, the Foundation’s matching gift program and direct grants.
J M Smith Corporation believes in supporting the causes that are most important to our employees. The J M Smith Foundation offers matching donations when our employees make charitable donations. That means that each year, we match up to $7,000 per employee, essentially doubling that employee's ability to make an impact on the organizations he or she wants to support. It's our way of showing our employees that we care about them and about the charities they want to support.
J M Smith Corporation is responsible for some of Spartanburg's loveliest green spaces and most dynamic office spaces. With a focus on innovation, public art and corporate stewardship, J M Smith Corporation has focused on building projects that improve and celebrate Spartanburg.
J M Smith Corporation's contributions to improve Spartanburg are detailed in the book, From Concrete to Conifers: The beautification of downtown Spartanburg.
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