Tag: Community Relations

Thousands of South Florida Students Head Back to School with New Backpacks and School Supplies Through Support from U.S. Sugar

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – As South Florida schools begin to re-open doors for the year, U.S. Sugar’s employees have been distributing backpacks and school supplies to thousands of students in Hendry and Palm Beach counties. The sugarcane and market-fresh vegetable farming company has been partnering with local libraries, churches, cities and health centers to deliver the school supplies over the past few weeks.

U.S. Sugar’s Brannan Thomas, Ryan Duffy and Vicki Markham with Clewiston students after handing out backpacks and supplies at the Clewiston Library.

“U.S. Sugar is committed to supporting student success in the classroom, and that starts by providing the tools students need to have an outstanding school year,” said Brannan Thomas, U.S. Sugar’s Community Relations Director. “On behalf of our company’s 3,000 employees, we wish the teachers, faculty members, parents and students a safe and successful school year.”

“Palm Beach County schools are greatly enriched through the generosity of corporate neighbors like U.S. Sugar,” said James Gavrilos, President & CEO of the Palm Beach County Education Foundation. “By aligning with us on delivering much-needed school supplies, it’s clear U.S. Sugar shares our foundation’s commitment to supporting and expanding learning opportunities throughout the region.”

As part of U.S. Sugar’s back-to-school drive providing backpacks and school supplies, it distributed nearly 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to local students and provided school uniforms to students in LaBelle. U.S. Sugar’s partners in the region included:

·         Clewiston Library

·         Florida B. Thomas Community Library in Harlem

·         Florida Community Health Centers in the Glades Communities

·         Christ Central Church in LaBelle

·         Palm Beach County Education Foundation throughout the Glades

·         City of South Bay

·         Melissa’s House in Pahokee

·         Melissa’s Place homeless shelter in Pahokee

“Families in Clewiston, Harlem and the Glades Communities are incredibly grateful for U.S. Sugar’s support for school supplies as students begin to head back to school,” said Nardina Johnson, Center Administrator for the Florida Community Health Center in Clewiston. “Our communities can always count on U.S. Sugar to step up and provide support when it is needed, and this school year is no exception.”

Thank you note from the Palm Beach County Education Foundation after backpack and school supplies were delivered in Palm Beach County’s Glades community schools.

About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a South Florida farming company that sustainably grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables that feed American families.  The company was founded in 1931 by Charles Stewart Mott, a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. For more information, please visit www.ussugar.com.

US Sugar Welcomes New Community Relations Manager

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar Monday announced the hire of Brannan Thomas, a Belle Glade native, as its Community Relations Manager. Thomas will manage the company’s community support and initiatives, serving the Glades and coastal communities where the people of U.S. Sugar live, work, and enjoy.

“From his roots in Belle Glade, his high school, college and coaching football career, to his professional career working with South Florida businesses, Brannan Thomas is completely and uniquely qualified for this position and a wonderful addition to our team,” said Judy Sanchez, Senior Director for Corporate Communications & Public Affairs. 

“U.S. Sugar is rooted in traditional values, so it is only fitting that we’ve hired someone who grew up locally and embodies the same values and sweet nature as the people in our Glades farming communities,” Sanchez said.  “At the same time, he’s young, bright, enthusiastic and brings a wealth of new ideas.”  

“After working with businesses of nearly every size across the South, I can think of no better way to give back to the region where I was raised than by working for a company that does so much for our area,” said Thomas. “I am eager to hitting the ground running to make sure that U.S. Sugar’s generous community spirit continues to be shared in every area of the many towns, groups, organizations and worthwhile endeavors that we support.”

Most recently, Thomas served as Director of Business Development for Transworld M & A, a corporate sales and advisory firm based in Fort Lauderdale. Thomas brings nearly 5 years’ experience working in the franchise and business sales industry, having also served as the Southeastern Vice President for United Franchise Group in West Palm Beach.  

Additionally, Thomas’ community involvement includes extensive coaching experience working with athletes in Palm Beach County. For three years, Thomas coached varsity football and middle school baseball at the King’s Academy in Royal Palm Beach and previously coached defensive backs at Cheyney University, the nation’s first historically black college and university (HBCU) located in Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Lehigh University, where he earned a degree in environmental science. Thomas also graduated and lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Glades Day School in Belle Glade.   He has volunteered heavily at The Lighthouse Café, a Christian feeding ministry in Belle Glade.  Thomas is married and expecting his first child in August.

About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a farming company that grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables in South Florida. The company was founded in 1931 by a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. Today, the company provides more than 2,500 good-paying American jobs, and its local farmers provide nearly 10 percent of all sugar produced in the United States, up to 250 million glasses per year of premium Florida orange juice and nearly half of Florida’s sweet corn crop.