Feed My Starving Children

Saturday, April 18^th

Employees and families of JBL Companies volunteered two hours of their time at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan to help package meals for starving children across the world. 

Feed My Starving Children began as a Christian based non-profit organization with the hope of helping to alleviate world hunger, specifically for children. FMSC worked with food scientists from Cargill and General Mills to develop a nutritional product especially for FMSC to feed starving children. This food product included rice, soy, vegetables, a vegetarian-based chicken flavoring, and a vitamin and mineral mix. The food is sent to more than 60 countries.

Approximately 80 people were in attendance, including groups from other organizations as well as families. An overview of procedures and rules was given and each volunteer was to choose one of eight tables where the process of packaging the meals would begin.  Each table consisted of two teams and each person had their own individual responsibilities within their team. One person scooped chicken flavoring, one scooped veggies, one added a cup of soy, one a cup of rice, two people were bagging and weighing the meals and one person sealed the bags. The procedure of adding the ingredients had to be consistent, in the order mentioned every time, no exceptions.

It became a fun competition for each team to put together as many meals/bags as possible in the hour and a half time frame that was allowed. It was a great team building exercise as each person’s job was dependent upon the one before them in terms of quickness and accuracy. One team even did a cheer each time they completed a box of meals! The goal as an entire group was set at 60 completed boxes but continued to rise as it was realized the assembly was moving much faster than expected. Finally, 120 boxes were determined as the final goal so the teams picked up the pace in order to meet this goal!

When time was up, the volunteers cleaned up their areas and moved into the lobby to hear the results. Unbelievably, the goal of 120 boxes was surpassed and 141 boxes were completed in 1.5 hours! 31,968 individual meals were made which meant that 87 children would eat every single day for 1 year! This was an impressive number and a great feeling to know that we may have possibly made a difference for these children. 

If you ever have a chance to volunteer at this organization or any other, please do so as you will not regret it. Being able to give back to others is indescribable and to realize you may be making a difference in someone else’s life is priceless. Carissa B, Marketing   

The Masters as we know it was recently redefined at JBL Companies. 

On Monday, April 6^th, JBL employees arrived at work and unexpectedly landed in the midst of a virtual golf course which had once been the company headquarters. My own personal tip off came as I was walking in, by a little green sign on the door that read something like “Carts must go to the right” with a picture of a guy on a golf cart.  This was only the first clue as to what was to come.

This was the JBL Masters.

Employees were told to gather in the lobby for the rundown of the week’s festivities. It was apparent that the boss, Jeffrey B, thinks highly of this tournament and wanted to honor it by turning a place of work into a place of play by creating a 9-hole golf (obstacle) course. The entire office, basement and even an outdoor area was set up to mirror an actual golf course, including water (blue bags of salt), sand traps (bags of sand) as well as trees (plants). We would play in teams but keep score individually, playing one game each day, Monday-Thursday with the championship on Thursday, including a prize for the winner, therefore creating even more incentive to play well.

The course layout was changed each day and consistently became tougher as the week progressed. In some cases it was proven that even if you can golf in the real world, you weren’t necessarily going to excel at the JBL Masters!

Although golf may not be for everyone, I think most can agree this was a great way to continue building team morale. JBL employees enjoyed themselves and it was a great activity for employees to get to know colleagues on a completely different level.

A major part of any competition includes a winner but the JBL Masters was more than just a competition. It also demonstrated that working together as a team does generate positivity, determination and encouragement while building team spirit and unity.  The winner of the JBL Masters may not have won the coveted green jacket and the million dollar prize but the company as a whole walked away with something even more important. Camaraderie.

Carissa B, Marketing

12-12-08

What are Random Acts of Kindness?

As with every holiday season JBL Companies participated in the Armful of Love program through Dakota County. Employees purchased gifts to donate to families in need this holiday season.

Keeping with the annual tradition to be involved in a charitable cause during the holiday party, JBL Companies kicked off their holiday celebration in an effort to perform as many random acts of kindness as possible in one hour. Creativity intensified as employees were grouped into pairs and given a $20 bill to use as they wished. The goal was to drive to the location (s) of their choice in groups and join together to make this happen. The feelings and experiences seemed to surpass the expectations of most…

Some of the experiences included: Ringing a bell for a salvation army worker so he could warm up and donating to the bucket, carrying out and bagging customers groceries, helping the boy returning carts to the store, buying cookies and giving them out to customers leaving the store, giving away scratch off lottery tickets to random people, giving away $5 gift cards to families waiting in line at a grocery store, buying $10 in groceries to donate, holding door for handicapped individual, paying for a meal for the car behind in a fast food drive through, pumping gas for customers, washing their windshield & paying for a  customer’s gas, buying a toy for a child in line at a store, purchasing a meal for a single mother and her child at a fast food restaurant, gave a fast food gift card to a customer in line, helped clean up at a local coffee shop, donated to boy scouts selling candy.

The reactions of the recipients of these random acts seemed to be the most surprised of all.

Some individuals seemed shocked and continued to ask “are you sure?”…

Some were so surprised they could barely muster a “thank you” but did so with a smile…

A few even said “no thank you” and turned down the offer/ gift altogether with suspicion in their voice…

I think what we can take away from this experience is far greater than was expected. The reality is people do not take hand outs, gifts or offers to help easily. It seems many assume there is a catch or are suspicious of a person’s actions when they are given something without question or consequence. Doing something nice for someone is not second nature to us anymore as we are afraid to get involved or to interrupt the busy lives of others. I think most can say it felt great to be able to do something for someone else without getting or expecting anything in return. The old saying rings true “giving is much more satisfying than receiving”, especially this holiday season when so many spirits are in need of lifting.

Carissa B. a JBL Companies Team Member

I sat back the other night and reflected on running a business and how this translates to Management Resolutions as a receiver. What I came to realize was that you learn from a variety of sources and all are attributes that you must have to succeed. The conclusion I came to for Management Resolutions was the following:

Integrity & Honesty: Am I treating others people the way I would like to be treated? Be trusted at all costs.

Hard Work: Can they take this away? No. There is no substitute for hard work.

Passion for the Business: This isn’t a job, it’s a career. Become a student, learn all you can. Best the best you can be. Admit when you need to find the answer, the passion!

Work for Food: I always said as long as I put food on the table I am happy. Everything else is a gift.

Communication: Be open and communicate. Have strong written and verbal communication ability. Seek the education to assistance.

Think Like an Entrepreneur: No matter what, thinking like an entrepreneur embodies one to always listen, ask questions and react. An owner will always strive for the right action, decision and outcome.

Get a Mentor: Always have someone you can gain knowledge from and remember to share yourself with others as a mentor.

Give Back to the Community: Find a cause you feel strongly about and support them. Try the old fashioned tithe method and give 10% of income but also give of your time and services.

I apply these eight philosophies as a principal of Management Resolutions and this translates to each of our receivership assignments.

JBL