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 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based tire recycler linked the campaign to National Childhood Hunger Awareness Day and World Food Day.
The 2026 effort is the third year of the partnership. Liberty said the funds were raised through its Liberty Cares Charity Golf Tournament and through contributions from partners.
Thomas Womble, CEO of Liberty Tire Recycling, said the three-year effort had raised more than $400,000 and packed more than 16,000 food packs for children in need. He credited Liberty employees with giving time and effort to the project, along with customers and partners who committed time and resources. The company also reported a three-year total of more than $415,000.
Liberty said the partnership began after employees were asked what mattered most to them. They said they wanted to support a cause that helps children and fights hunger, and Blessings in a Backpack does both, according to the company.
In late October, employee teams at five Liberty locations are scheduled to pack weekend meals: Santa Fe Springs, California; Midlothian, Texas; Minerva, Ohio; Jackson, Georgia; and Portland, Oregon. Together, those teams plan to pack 6,500 bags of weekend meals for local Blessings in a Backpack programs.
Employees across the company are also taking part in a notecard activity. They will write and color notes of encouragement to go into the bags that students take home. Liberty said the activity gives every company location a way to participate, including sites that are not hosting a packing event. The notes are intended to accompany the weekend meal bags and offer encouragement to students.
Alexis Hartman, manager of corporate partnerships, Midwest, at Blessings in a Backpack, said the organization was grateful to Liberty's leadership, customers, employees, and the outings' donors and sponsors. She said more than $195,000 was raised this year to benefit the nonprofit's mission and work, and thanked the Liberty community for its support of children who need its services.
Liberty reported raising $87,805 in the first year of the partnership in 2024 and $132,785 in 2025. With the 2026 total, the company said it has raised more than $415,000 for Blessings in a Backpack over three years. The 2026 figure is $62,215 higher than the 2025 total.