Dot Foods: A Bond That Extends Across State Lines

After Hurricane Helene, the city of Vidalia was left in a level of destruction that they had never seen before; upon hearing of this tragedy, Dot Foods employees from across the nation traveled to Vidalia to help their fellow “Dot family” with hurricane relief efforts.

Dot Foods is the largest food redistributor in North America, working out of 13 distribution centers – one of which sits in the heart of Vidalia. Once the company discovered the widespread disarray within the Vidalia area, they quickly mobilized their employees to help their fellow Dot Foods employees.

Over 30 employees from Dot Foods Distribution Centers across the nation traveled to Vidalia to help the continued from page

community, as they worked tirelessly to support their colleagues and the community by clearing debris, providing meals, and maintaining operations at the Vidalia distribution center. The company even donated food and water to those in need in the area and allowed the local Dot Foods employees to focus on taking care of their own families and properties, rather than having to worry about the distribution center.

'Hurricane Helene impacted every member of our Vidalia team. We're incredibly grateful that all of our Vidalia employees were physically safe, but disasters like this take a profound emotional toll,' emphasized Vice President of Distribution Centers Matt Holt. 'Many of our team members were without power and water for weeks, and everyone in the area faced devastation—debris, downed trees, and damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles.' Two employees of the Dot Foods distribution center in Sterling, Illinois, spoke on their experience serving the area.

'We knew our colleagues and their families were in need, and we wanted to help,' remarked Gaylon Ryan. 'We worked alongside our colleagues, helping them clear trees, repair damage, and provide a little relief. The sense of community and support was overwhelming. This was so much bigger than work; it was about helping people get their lives back on track.'

Jessica Tangerose added, 'I was glad I could go to Vidalia and help. This experience highlighted the strength of the Dot community and what we can achieve when we work together.'

In addition to traveling to the area to help with recovery efforts immediately after the hurricane, Dot Foods also made sure that the area would continue to receive hurricane relief, as employees from across the nation came together to raise $117,584 for the United Way of Toombs, Montgomery, and Wheeler Counties through employee contributions and a company dollar-for-dollar match.

'We're proud of how our employees immediately jumped in to support our Vidalia team,” said Vice President Holt. “It’s an inspiring example of our culture at work. Our employees showed incredible dedication, not only in helping restore operations at our Vidalia facility but in providing much-needed support to their colleagues and the entire community.'

Local Dot Foods Vidalia Distribution Center Manager Tim Truxel spoke on these contributions. “In times of disaster, Dot consistently steps up, showing just how impactful these contributions can be, especially when it hits close to home. I am incredibly proud to be part of a company dedicated to making a positive difference in the places we call home,” he said.