Novartis Employees volunteer at America’s Grow a Row in Pittstown

By Hunterdon County Democrat 
on June 03, 2014 at 11:59 PM, updated June 04, 2014 at 12:00 AM

As part of The Novartis Group’s 18th annual Community Partnership Day worldwide, a group of employees spent a workday at America’s Grow a Row in Pittstown.

Together, the employees planted
15,000 pounds of onions that will later be harvested and donated by this nonprofit to food pantries, soup kitchens, crisis centers, and foodbanks throughout New Jersey and beyond.

America’s Grow a Row, founded in 2002, grows and gives away fresh produce free to food pantries and soup kitchens by organizing groups to plant and harvest from their own farms or partner farms. “Volunteers are the backbone of our organization,” said Chip Paillex, president and founder. “They allow us to plant, harvest, and distribute hundreds of thousands of pounds of produce to hunger-relief organizations throughout the state of New Jersey.”

The volunteers on the team were among more than 2,000 associates from the Novartis Group companies who provided hands-on support that benefited nearly 80 nonprofit agencies throughout New Jersey. Community Partnership Day is a global initiative within the Novartis Group that reaffirms the company’s commitment to social responsibility and offers opportunities for associates to give something back to the communities where they live and work.

“Investing in the communities where we live and work is a defining part of the culture and fabric of our company,” said Kevin Rigby, vice president and US Country Head of Public Affairs at Novartis Pharmace
uticals Corporation. “This annual day of volunteerism gives our employee teams an opportunity to join hands in service with our outstanding nonprofit partners to help make a positive, long-lasting difference in people’s lives.”