Feb 4, 2020

Atlanta Public Schools name OneCoast the 2019 Carver Cluster Partner of the Year

In recognition of their dedication and contributions, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) awarded OneCoast as the 2019 Carver Cluster Partner of the Year for their continued partnership and support. OneCoast, a nationwide sales and marketing services company, collected food donations for three Atlanta, Georgia public schools this past December during their National Sales and Training Meeting.

OneCoast employees and their vendor partners collected over 75 boxes of non-perishable food items that were donated to Finch Elementary School, Perkerson Elementary School, and Sylvan Hills Middle School which included a variety of products from granola bars and peanut butter to pasta and fruit cups. This was OneCoast’s second year collecting donations for Atlanta Public Schools.

“OneCoast does a great deal of business in Atlanta through the AmericasMart trade shows, as does our entire industry” said John Keiser, CEO of OneCoast. “While we contribute to Atlanta through hotel and restaurant taxes, it just seems right that we should contribute in a more meaningful way. Atlanta Public Schools have some real needs where we can make an impact. To hear that the last meal some APS students may have before the weekend is the school lunch on Friday, it breaks your heart. At OneCoast, we know that we can make a difference in the lives of these APS students by helping stock their school food pantries.”

“Throughout my career, I have found that the holidays are some of the most difficult times for the students and their families” said Shalun Matthews, MSW, Ed. D., school social worker for Sylvan Hills Middle School and Perkerson Elementary. “Many of my students come from families that bring in an income that puts them below the poverty line. However, the children aren’t aware of these hardships and pressures are put on the parents to provide things when their budgets don’t necessarily allow it. The OneCoast contributions to our students helped lift a heavy load for some much-needed families this season.”

At OneCoast, making a difference is one of the company’s core values. They believe in giving back to their communities while inspiring others to take action and to come together as a company for a common purpose. Whether the service projects are big or small, OneCoast believes that every project is important and makes a difference to those they serve. Their commitment to helping APS is just one example of the many projects supported by the OneCoast employees and their vendor partners.

“I am so appreciative of the donations OneCoast has generously provided for my students” said Tony Ford, principal of Perkerson Elementary School. “Just recently, I was able to provide some food for a mother of two. She was embarrassed and nervous, but in need nonetheless. We have several students who we send home with food in their backpacks to ensure that they have something to eat until they are back in school for breakfast and lunch.”

“Partnerships, like the one we have with OneCoast, supports the work we do daily. We know that an education is the key to providing our students with life choices and an escape from intergenerational poverty, but without this kind of support our efforts would be pointless,” Ford continued.

With OneCoast’s generous food donations that were collected during their National Sales and Training Meeting and throughout the year, APS has been able to keep their school pantries stocked while helping make a real impact in the lives of students and families in need. The OneCoast employees that attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of OneCoast include Tammy Myers, Francine Winters and Rich Butera.

“OneCoast was honored by Atlanta Public Schools as Partner of the Year for our continued partnership with schools in the Carver Cluster” said Tammy Myers, manager of employee experience at OneCoast. “We are truly grateful for the opportunity to give back to these schools. Making a difference for them is as much as blessing for us as it is for those we are helping.”