Liberty Tire Recycling said its employees, business partners and supporters raised $195,000 in 2026 for Blessings in a Backpack, a national nonprofit that provides weekend food to school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry. The company linked the announcement to National Childhood Hunger Awareness Day and World Food Day.
The 2026 effort is the third year of Liberty's partnership with the nonprofit. Money was raised through the Liberty Cares Charity Golf Tournament and through contributions from business partners.
Thomas Womble, chief executive of Liberty Tire Recycling, said the three-year campaign had raised more than $400,000 and packed more than 16,000 food packs for children in need. He credited employees for giving their time and effort to the project and customers and partners for committing their time and resources.
How the partnership began
According to the company, the tie-up grew out of employee feedback: when workers were asked what mattered most to them, they said they wanted to support a cause that helps children and fights hunger. Blessings in a Backpack was chosen because it addresses both.
Packing events at five locations
Employees at five Liberty sites will pack weekend meals at events in late October:
- Santa Fe Springs, California
- Midlothian, Texas
- Minerva, Ohio
- Jackson, Georgia
- Portland, Oregon
Together, the teams are expected to pack 6,500 bags of weekend meals for local Blessings in a Backpack programs.
Alexis Hartman, manager of corporate partnerships, Midwest, at Blessings in a Backpack, said more than $195,000 was raised this year to benefit the nonprofit's mission and work. She thanked Liberty's leadership, customers and employees, along with donors and sponsors of the outings, for the support the charity has received year after year.
A role for every site
Employees across the company are also taking part in a notecard activity, writing and coloring notes of encouragement that go into the bags students take home. The company said the activity gives every Liberty location a way to participate, including sites that are not hosting a packing event.
Three-year totals
Liberty raised $87,805 in the first year of the partnership in 2024 and $132,785 in 2025. The company said it has now raised more than $415,000 for Blessings in a Backpack over the three years.