Community Impact
2024 Best of Philanthropy Awards
The annual Best of Philanthropy celebrates the generosity of division team members through two award categories. The Gift of Time & Talent Award recognizes and rewards the division that consistently commits time and energy to volunteer service activities in their communities. The Gift of Treasure Award goes to the division that most effectively supports their community through fundraising and drive collections. Each award includes $1,500 to donate to charities of their choice.
Gifts of Time & Talent Award:
Finance & Accounting
The 23 participants from Division 54 (Finance & Accounting) volunteered a total of 61 hours at the USO Lounge at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Trunk or Treat event organized by The Therapy Place and Richland County, Meals on Wheels of Richland County, Adopt-a-Highway and the Daddy and Me 5K.
Division 54 chose to donate their $1,500 prize to Meals on Wheels of Richland County. Shanika Goggans, Kym Coe-Shepard, Iris Green, De'Andrea Johnson-Pringle and Anne Hill of Division 54 presented the check to Becky Morrison, director of development for Senior Resources and Meals on Wheels of Richland County. Becky said the $1,500 will fund 300 to 400 meals or enough to feed one senior for up to six months.
Gifts of Treasure Award: Division 34
Division 34 was selected for this award because in addition to volunteering 98 hours, the 36 team members who participated also donated 179 items and $1,425 to six deserving organizations. The team supported the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Children's Hospital of Columbus Ohio and the Salvation Army Angel Tree.
Division 34 has donated their $1,500 prize to EverythingALS, a nonprofit with a bold vision to eliminate ALS by 2030. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, gradually robs individuals of their ability to move, speak and breathe. There is no cure, but through awareness and research, there is hope.
ALS has touched the lives of associates in Division 34: Chris Adams (Columbia) honors his wife Alex Adams, pictured below at left with her father, who passed away from ALS in 2019. Kim Foster (Ohio) with her grandson, who threw the first pitch in honor of Kim’s husband, currently living with ALS. Nathan Dannels (Colorado) and his sisters remember their father who bravely battled ALS.
