Revere, MA The Turner Construction Company Boston team has established a unique way to support local, former servicemen and women and their families by holding an annual macaroni and cheese, “Mac Attack,” donation drive. The 2021 drive was the team’s fourth annual event, with collection locations established using new Community Care Cupboards located at project and office sites, in addition to a virtual giving option.
Turner’s Community Care Cupboards, currently stationed at four of Turner’s active project sites across Boston and Cambridge, serve as hubs for team members to give back to the community throughout the year. Employees and workers on site have the opportunity to not only support the community through donating essentials but can also nominate organizations to be recipients of future drives.
Turner’s employee-led resource group, the Military Veterans Network, has worked with staff to collect over 2,836 boxes of macaroni and cheese to donate to the Revere Veteran’s Service Office, an organization that services over 400 families throughout the City of Revere. An additional 175 food and personal care items were donated through a virtual donation drive.
The food donation drive began in 2017 when Turner began coordinating with the Revere Veteran’s Services office. Since its inception, Turner’s Mac Attack Drives have provided thousands of boxes of macaroni & cheese to local Veterans and their families.
“Being the daughter of a Veteran, I have long understood and appreciated their service and sacrifice to our country and living in Revere I get to see firsthand all of the wonderful things that the Veterans Services Office does to care for these men and women in our community,” said Amanda DiLando, Turner employee and resident of Revere. “As this drive keeps growing each year, it continues to validate the impact this gesture of our gratitude makes for those who have given so much to all of us.”
The drive expanded even further with help from Turner Boston’s Military Veterans Network, an employee resource group with the mission to ensure a positive working environment for Veterans and position them for success in their careers. The employee resource group creates outlets to help foster relationships and trust among Turner Veterans, similar to the camaraderie established when serving in the armed forces, with the goal of echoing this positivity to Turner peers and the greater community.
“The Military Veterans Network is a family of service members and Veterans from Turner that work together to make a difference in our communities,” said Rafael Rodriguez, Special Projects Division Project Manager at Turner Construction. “So many of us have benefited from the kindness and donation of others at various points of time in our service, it feels great to pay it forward.”
“Since 2017 Turner Construction has been a dedicated partner who believes in our mission supporting the needs of Revere vets and their families,” said Marc Silvestri, Director of Veteran Services for the City of Revere. “Turner has been raising the bar every year, they have gone above and beyond. This year they partnered with Boss Steel, and together they donated thousands of boxes of Mac & Cheese to our local veterans, and their families. It’s partnerships like this that help our office thrive and allow us to take veteran services to the next level. Turner and Boss Steel should be commended for going the extra mile in support of our American Heroes. We cannot thank them enough; it warms our hearts to see just how much they enjoy helping the veterans of Revere.”
The Revere Veterans Service Office provides services and benefits to eligible Veterans and their families in a timely manner in compliance with Massachusetts General Laws. They represent and advocate for Veterans and family members with the U.S. Government and private agencies, Veteran service organizations and the public, to maximum utilization of available resources
