Shapiro, a Baltimore headquartered 99-year-old Customhouse broker and international freight forwarder, recently selected WhyHunger as this year’s recipient of its annual holiday endowment.  WhyHunger works to support community-based grassroots organizations to end poverty and hunger by providing universal access to nutritious and affordable food.  Founded in 1975, WhyHunger has grown from a simple commitment between two friends, founders Harry Chapin and Bill Ayres, to an award-winning global non-profit leading the movement to end hunger and poverty through creating a sustainable food systems.  WhyHunger provides capacity building services, technical support, and access to information and financial resources to community organizations implementing new ideas and developing groundbreaking projects to transform their communities.

Shapiro, whose philanthropic work can be traced back to its humble beginnings in 1915, has been providing holiday donations on behalf of its customers for the past six years, in addition to incorporating charitable activities throughout the year.  In lieu of a traditional holiday gift, the company authored a cookbook, filled with authentic employee recipes, to accompany the WhyHunger donation.  The books were distributed to Shapiro customers and all Shapiro employees, with a contribution being made to WhyHunger in honor of each recipient.  Aptly named “Our Secret Spice,” the cookbook exemplifies the company’s culture, values, and what truly sets it apart:  its family of employees.  Shapiro, which was recently named one of Baltimore’s Top Workplaces for the fourth year in a row by the Baltimore Sun, completes its community support program by allowing employees to volunteer once a year on company time and matches employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar to most non-profit organizations.

“We are excited to present something that not only demonstrates our commitment to the communities we serve, but is also a reflection of the Shapiro culture,” noted Margie Shapiro, Shapiro’s president and chief executive officer.  “Shapiro is proud to support an organization that provides valuable services to so many in need.”