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ST. LOUIS – Several FOX 2 and News 11 employees were out volunteering in the community Thursday as part of the Founder’s Day of Caring. The founder of our parent company, Nexstar Media Group, came up with the idea as a way to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary by giving back.

Station employees spent the day packing boxes for an upcoming food giveaway by the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

“They’re doing a wonderful job. I was expecting them at 8 a.m. they got here at 7:15,” said Robert Cotton, logistics specialist for the Urban League.

Employees were given a half-day off with pay to do volunteer work and chose to support the Urban League.

“Whether it’s working against violence in the community, whether it’s food for the underserved, whether it’s helping with finances with starting a business, the Urban League is the group that helps people in St. Louis,” said Kurt Krueger, KTVI FOX 2/KPLR News 11 vice-president and station manager.

Perry Cook, chairman and CEO of Nexstar Media Group, has called on the 199 Nexstar stations around the country to give back on this Founder’s Day. His mission is more than providing news and entertainment to local audiences; the initiative calls for the stations to be part of the community and strive to make the community better.

“It’s good for the company to get out in the community. In fact, we have to do that if we’re going to be successful, but it also can be a good decision to connect with our advertisers and folks in the community on a different way than just reading the news and deliver local reporting,” he said. “The best thing we can do to celebrate our success is to give back to the communities that made us successful and so that’s the whole intent to Founder’s Day and that’s what we’re all about.”

The Urban League said the food packed in the boxes by FOX 2 and News 11 workers will go to more than 2,500 families in need in the St. Louis area.

“Anybody that needs food, we will not turn anybody away for food,” said Quenesha Catron, Urban League division operation officer.