Although almost 95 percent of our employees worked from home in 2020 due to COVID-19, that didn’t stop them from coming together to support community organizations and causes they are passionate about.

Each company division selected projects that were meaningful to them. Many in 2020 centered around Food Banks. Employees volunteered to serve or distribute food, raise money and collect non-perishable food items. Children were also a focus in 2020. 300 bikes were donated to the Marines Toys for Tots campaign and gifts were collected for children in foster care. In all more than 1,900 items, $34,000 and 311 hours were volunteered.

In addition to the divisional philanthropy projects, this year marked the successful start of quarterly company-wide giving projects.

The first quarter project, Fostering Hope supported children during an emergency transition to foster care. Gift cards for fast food restaurants and large stores such as Target were collected. Clothes were also donated to employees’ local agencies. “We wanted to help make this transition a less traumatic experience for the children and to ease the burden of families who take these children into their homes,” said project chairman Robin Free, Assistant Vice President.

Due to the transition to work at home for many of our staff the company opted not to have a project for the second quarter. The third quarter was the annual United Way drive. More than 60% of employees participated virtually.

The Fill a Plate, Fill a Heart Community Impact campaign wrapped up the year with the goal of providing as many Thanksgiving meals as we had employees. Each one feeds one. That’s 2,400 meals! In three-weeks our employees raised enough funds to provide 3,300 meal to the Oliver Gospel Mission Meal Box Drive.

We are proud of our associates’ drive to help their communities and compassion for their neighbors. Together helping others.