In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the State of New Hampshire can give thanks to great companies that embody the spirit of corporate citizenship. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be asked to speak at a press conference celebrating The Common Man Family of Restaurants charitable efforts. Owner Alex Ray, who was recently honored with the Cornerstone Humanitarian Award by the National Restaurant Association, has been a great friend and partner to the economic development community and we salute him and his team for their commitment to the Granite State. Here’s the press release that emanated from yesterday’s event:

The Common Man family of restaurants in New Hampshire celebrated receiving a national humanitarian award by joining with local business partners in donating more than $45,000 to five Granite State charities.

Common Man Owner Alex Ray and Judy Gove of the New Hampshire Electric Co-Op join New Hampshire Governor John Lynch in presenting a donation of $15,345 to New Hampshire Food Bank Executive Director Melanie Gosselin.

Common Man Owner Alex Ray, CEO Jason Lyon and Vice President Diane Downing announced the largest donation of the award event to the New Hampshire Food Bank of Manchester, which received $15,345 from the Common Man family, raised at an annual golf tournament and through sales in nine restaurants of bottles of water filtered with the Common Man’s new sustainable AquaHealth filtration system.   That donation was matched in full with a presentation by Judy Gove of the New Hampshire Electric Co-Op Foundation, bringing the total gifted to the food bank to $30,690.

Lyon also noted that AquaHealth President Barclay Hansen partnered with the Common Man in its charitable efforts earlier in the month, donating $100 per Common Man location using the sustainable water filtration system to the New Hampshire Food Bank, for a total of $900.

“We will make our goals for the holiday after today’s donations, so for that, I thank you,” said Melanie Gosselin, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank. “There are only a few events that leave you speechless, and today was one of them.”

Common Man owner Alex Ray was named the Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year by the National Restaurant Association in a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C., and said he wanted to continue the spirit of the award here at home by helping non-profits that make a difference in the state.

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch congratulated Ray and the Common Man family with a proclamation, citing the good works the restaurant’s staff and employees do in local communities.

“Alex understands he has a responsibility to the community, and I don’t know anyone in New Hampshire who takes that more seriously than Alex,” said Governor Lynch.

Also receiving a significant donation was Webster Place Center of Franklin, a non-profit drug and alcohol rehabilitation center founded by Ray after he saved the historic property from demolition and made extensive renovations to open it as a treatment facility.

Ray presented a check to Webster Place Center Executive Director John Knowles for $5,000 from the National Restaurant Association, as Ray’s work building the center was the focus of the Cornerstone Humanitarian Award, and a matching donation of $5,000 from The Common Man family for a total gift of $10,000.

Downing welcomed representatives of the American Cancer Society in New Hampshire and its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign to accept a $4,514 donation from a summer promotion that included the sale of “Strides Salads” at all Common Man-named restaurants. The salad was created by Common Man Concord Chef Shane Milianes and a portion of proceeds of each salad sold was designated for Making Strides.

Rounding out the organizations receiving donations were the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter (NSKS), which received $500 to help continue its efforts to fight hunger and homelessness in the greater Nashua area. The donation was a result of a gift card ad done by the Common Man family, which pledged $2 of every card redeemed at The Common Man restaurant in Merrimack to NSKS.

The Easter Seals of New Hampshire Veterans Count fund also received a $100 donation, the final tally from a Veteran’s Day “American as Apple Pie” promotion done by some of the Common Man’s locations in southern New Hampshire, which pledged $1 per slice of apple pie sold to benefit the fund in memory of U.S. Marines Cpl. Michael Ouellette, a Manchester native who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in March.

NH Division of Economic Development Communications & Legislative Director Steve Boucher lauds the Common Man's charitable efforts.

During the donation event, Steve Boucher, Communications and Legislative Director for the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, named The Common Man family the department’s “First Class Business” for December, recognizing its 38 year history of community involvement and calling it a role model for other businesses to emulate.

Lyon closed the event noting that the restaurant family’s support of the New Hampshire Food Bank during this time of increased demand continues with the sale of a holiday coupon book sold at all Common Man family locations during the holiday season. Each $10 coupon book is full of offers – from a free entrée to discounted overnight rates at the Common Man Inns, and the entire purchase price goes to the New Hampshire Food Bank, said Lyon.

“If there was ever a time to feel hopeful, thankful and grateful, it’s the holidays,” said Lyon. “We hope this helps you kick off the season in a wonderful way, and inspires residents, businesses and organizations across the state to follow the mantra The Common Man family lives by, ‘Do well by doing good’,” said Lyon. “Stop and think, have you done good today? Your efforts really do make a difference.”