Nemer Abohasen, middle, VP and General Manager at DHL Express and Head of U.S. Social Responsibility presents a check for one million meals to Chief Development Officer of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Roger Castle with FOX 11 Los Angeles reporter Bob DeCastro, left. (Photo Courtesy: Josh Hachat)
Courtesy Kalitta Motorsports
YPSILANTI, Mich. – – With some 44 million people in the United States currently experiencing food insecurity, DHL Express, Kalitta Air, and Kalitta Motorsports united their efforts in the “Race to End Hunger.” The initiative provides critical hunger relief for families in need, both during the upcoming holiday season and beyond. After successfully completing six NHRA racing events, the “Race to End Hunger” not only met but exceeded its monetary goal, equivalent to providing one million meals to people facing hunger.
For the past four years, DHL and its dedicated U.S. employees have been actively collaborating with local food pantries and the Feeding America® network of local food banks, as part of their annual volunteering and charitable-giving campaign. This ongoing program supports families in need while aligning with DHL’s mission to “Connect People, Improve Lives.” Last NHRA racing season, DHL supercharged its efforts by partnering with Kalitta Motorsports.
During the most-recent six NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series events, DHL, Kalitta Air, and Kalitta Motorsports made a substantial impact. For every “win light” achieved by Kalitta Motorsports drivers Doug Kalitta, J.R. Todd, and Shawn Langdon, which signified winning a round of racing, Kalitta Motorsports donated $1,000, matched by both DHL and Kalitta Air. As a result, each round win generated $3,000. The remarkable performance of Kalitta Motorsports drivers propelled the program to surpass its goal, amassing a total of $75,000.
Beyond the on-track contributions, DHL encouraged both employees and fans to make their own donations, and the response was remarkable. Inspired by their employees’ generosity, DHL matched their donations, resulting in an additional commitment of $25,000 in the “Race to End Hunger.” This supplemental donation brought the program’s grand total to $100,000. The donations will help provide the equivalent of one million meals to the Feeding America network of partner food banks, including the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, located near the In ‘N Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif., where this weekend’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals take place.
“It’s been rewarding to work with our long-time partners Kalitta Air and Kalitta Motorsports, especially in such a cause as noble as hunger relief,” said Nemer Abohasen, VP and General Manager at DHL Express and Head of U.S. Social Responsibility. “With this combined million meals, this gets us closer to our 2024 goal of 10 million meals since we started our drive back in 2020. Kalitta Motorsports and Kalitta Air have become strong advocates and partners in our mission, and the impact in the communities we live in continues to be significant.”
DHL and its partners in the “Race to End Hunger” continue to work with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization that supports tens of millions through a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs.
Feeding America invests in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocates for legislation that improves food security and works to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment.
“We are grateful for DHL’s commitment to our work and delighted that this partnership will help us reach even more of our neighbors facing food insecurity,” Chief Development Officer of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Roger Castle said. “Their ‘Race to End Hunger’ program with Kalitta and the NHRA is an excellent example of corporate social responsibility for us locally and our partners nationally.”
Hunger affects people of all ages; everyone needs nutritious food to thrive, and in every community in America, people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Yet in 2022, 44 million people – one in seven people – experienced food insecurity in the United States. Food insecurity exists in every county, parish and borough in the United States. It impacts people of all ages, races, ethnicities, abilities and beliefs.
“On behalf of everyone at Kalitta Motorsports, we were honored to participate in the “Race to End Hunger,” again this year,” Team Kalitta Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta said. “It’s really hard to believe that food insecurity is such a big problem in our country, but it’s great that companies like DHL and Kalitta Air are supporting organizations like Feeding America and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in their fight against hunger so that, hopefully one day soon, we can end hunger in the United States.”
“Kalitta Air was proud to be a part of this great program, but seeing the end result with a million meals being provided is truly special,” Kalitta Air Deputy Chief Operating Officer Heath Nicholl said. “We appreciate DHL’s leadership in this effort and thank them for helping fight hunger in our country. Unfortunately, much more work remains, but a million meals can make a difference.”
For more information about Feeding America, please visit www.feedingamerica.org and for more information about the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, please visit www.lafoodbank.org.
