XanGo donates $50,000 to Catholic Community Services

SALT LAKE CITY — Responding to an increasing need for emergency services by Utah’s working poor and homeless, XanGo LLC has donated $50,000 to Catholic Community Services of Utah (CCS).

The funding will be used during the next 12 months in northern and central Utah to provide hot meals, food boxes, rent, and utility assistance and clothing. It will help thousands of individuals and hundreds of needy Utah families.

CCS has seen an upturn in those seeking emergency services during the past several weeks. The agency typically serves about 600-700 lunches per day. Recently, they’ve been serving 800-900 lunches per day, and have been as high as 1,000.

"We know there are many people struggling to make it right now," said Bob Freeze, vice president of public relations for the Lehi-based maker of the popular dietary supplement , XanGo® Juice. "We hope this contribution can alleviate some of their suffering. We know that CCS is an effective charity for helping the needy, and we are confident they will do an excellent job using these funds where they are most needed."

"The gift from XanGo couldn’t have come at a better time," said Maggie St. Claire, executive director of CCS. "With XanGo’s generous donation, CCS will continue to provide the increased number of low-income families with food, clothing, household items like detergent and cleaning products, diapers, and baby layettes. This help eases the family’s burdens and allows them the opportunity to learn how to be healthy, productive, and self-sufficient members of our community. We thank the founders of XanGo for their generosity."

Nearly 120,000 Utahns, (almost 10% of population) including about 70,000 children live in poverty despite having at least one family member employed. Another 13,000 homeless live in the state.

Catholic Community Services serves about 10,000 people per year in Utah. In addition to lunches, the agency provides about 450 food baskets per month to low-income families. It also provides rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to low-income families on the verge of homelessness.

XanGo made the gift as part of its global charitable giving initiative, known as XanGo Goodness. XanGo Goodness actively supports numerous causes that focus on serving the health and well-being of children and families. XanGo Goodness also mobilizes to address disasters and crises. "Whether we are helping villagers in Thailand rebuild after the devastating tsunami or organizing donations to aid hurricane victims in New Orleans, XanGo Goodness is designed to respond to people in dire circumstances and lend a helping hand, said Freeze."

XanGo’s gift was facilitated by Operation Kids, an international children’s charity based in Salt Lake City. As XanGo’s giving consultant, Operation Kids helps the company identify and partner with charities that demonstrate the highest standards of effectiveness and impact.