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Much like the concrete columns that support a building, R&H Construction‘s three pillars of giving support more than just the business. Those pillars of food security, children’s welfare and the environment guide the company’s volunteer efforts, which take place throughout the year and involve dozens of employees.

鈥淲e have a committee of about five or six people that allows each of us to spearhead different initiatives throughout the year,鈥� said Jake Sly, R&H director of business development and community service committee chairman. 鈥淭here are so many worthwhile organizations out there, so the food bank is a great partner that allows us to get a big group of people out here.鈥�

At the Oregon Food Bank‘s Northeast Portland distribution center, 29 R&H Construction employees 鈥� including President John Ward 鈥� recently were engaged in bagging and boxing rice for shipment around the metro area.

鈥淭he food bank is really great because we get to check a couple of those boxes,鈥� Sly said. 鈥淲e know it’s going to help families with kids and we really try and do it throughout the year because obviously the demand is year-round.鈥�

It’s a company tradition dating back more than a decade.

鈥淲e do this all year round, but it seems like more people seem to be in the spirit around Christmastime,鈥� said Mark Simpson, a senior project manager. 鈥淭hey do a really good job here as far as how it’s organized. You feel like your time spent here is really doing some good, and when you come in there’s no question about what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it or what the objective is.鈥�

The two-hour shift worked by R&H employees on Dec. 20 resulted in a total of 7,951 pounds of rice being bagged and boxed. That is enough food for 6,625 meals, or 86 meals per volunteer on the floor 鈥� a group including R&H volunteers as well as others.

Bill Dart, lead volunteer coordinator for the food bank, said Christmas leads to a surplus of volunteers. However, the need exists during other times of year.

鈥淰olunteering is very seasonal,鈥� Dart said. 鈥淲e actually turn people away pretty much from October through February; and in the summer we actually end up canceling a lot of shifts because we don’t have enough volunteers to run them.鈥�

That said, the food bank would not be able to operate this time of year without volunteers.

鈥淭he Oregon Food Bank distributes 50 million pounds of food every year and we have to repack 19 million pounds of that,鈥� said Lauren Zielinski, the food bank’s director of corporate communications. 鈥淎nd the bulk of it is here at the main facility because it’s our main distribution facility; so R&H Construction comes out on a regular basis throughout the year, and we can’t do our work without the wonderful partners like R&H. We like to say it takes a village, but really it takes a whole state to address hunger.鈥�