Manhattan-based marketing agency, 502, has partnered with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation to launch MHK Together, an online tool that enables customers to put dollars in the hands of their favorite retail, service and hospitality businesses while providing food assistance to those affected by layoffs or reductions in pay. Blade Mages, founder and president of 502, said, "These Manhattan businesses play such a large role in creating quality of life for our employees. As a team of problem solvers and makers, we felt a responsibility to do our part in extending a hand to these businesses. We had the ability and the partnerships in place to put this together, so we did."
MHK Together operates off the basic premise of "buy one, give one." When a customer buys a gift card through MHKTogether.org, the value of that gift card will be matched dollar-for-dollar, with a Dillons or Hy-Vee gift card to provide food assistance to individuals and families who have been directly impact by layoffs or wage loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vern Henricks, president and CEO of the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation said, "The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation has a mission to build relationships with donors to meet community needs. Right now, we're facing an unknown need of significant scale, and our community is up for the challenge. When 502 approached us with this idea, we jumped right on the opportunity to serve as an operational partner with assistance from Konza United Way and Shepherd's Cross. With this sort of out-of-the-box thinking and the generosity of our donors, we're going to get through this together."
This match was made available by the Ward & Brenda Morgan Donor Advised Fund and the Lincoln & Dorothy Deihl Advised Fund, both administered through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. Grocery assistance was made possible by the contributions of local Dillons and Hy-Vee stores.
Affected local businesses or individuals seeking grocery assistance are asked to visit MHKTogether.org to review eligibility requirements.