Employee Generosity Spreads Holiday Joy

Huntsville employees prepare to take holiday donations to the elderly. Pictured from left are Mike Bridwell, Cathy Shafer, Paul Hopkins, Brenda Long, Barbara Day, Jim Hankins, Guy Sikes and Craig Sumner. In addition to gifts and household items, employees also donated $631 to the CASA organization.

Florida employees load a record number of toys into six military vehicles for Brevard County children in support of the annual Toys for Tots campaign. Pictured from left are Cheryl Derfler; Jennifer Horton; Jeremy Davis; Tom Resler; Loren Merrill; Shannon Austin; Ray Bullion (Allied Barton Security); and Diane Porter, USA Volunteer Coordinator for Toys for Tots.

Texas employees loaded bikes, toys and other gifts for hundreds of Houston children. Pictured from front left are Nickole Smotherman, Arturo Retamozo-Barria, Traci Thompson, Michele Hendershot, Nicole Laster and Ned Scioneaux. Pictured from back left are Kurt Restemyer, Clay Baily, Catherine Bulliner, Andrea Freeman and volunteer drivers from Eagle Global.

Many children, senior citizens and families in the communities where USA employees reside had a brighter holiday season thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers. Whether it was donating canned goods, winter clothing, toys or building a bike, USA employees from Alabama, Florida and Texas spent countless hours throughout November and December supporting a variety of holiday drives.

“It warms my heart to know that seniors and several thousand children had a holiday season this year because of the generosity of our employees,” said USA President and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCulley. “I am never surprised but continue to be overwhelmed by the kind-heartedness of employees throughout the company.”

In Florida, employees supported the traditional Toys for Tots drive and a local charity’s Holiday Wish Program.

The Toys for Tots campaign exceeded last year’s toy drive with a large variety of toys, games and bicycles for Brevard County children. A convoy of military and heavy duty vehicles, led by the U.S. Marine Search and Rescue Corps, arrived at Florida offices to collect the toys that were donated by employees for the 10th year. The marines and approximately 25 employees spent about an hour bringing the colossal number of gifts, donated by thousands of Florida employees, to completely load the six large trucks. Additionally, the USA Foundation Inc. donated $1,000 to the Marines’ Toys for Tots Foundation. The Brevard County Chapter for Toys for Tots provided toys for 5,000 local children in 2006.

Florida volunteers also supported the North Brevard Charities Sharing Center for the Center’s Holiday Wish Program. USA employees collected clothes, bicycles, stuffed animals, toys, dolls, CD players and certificates for 75 needy children.

For the sixth straight year, employees in Huntsville collected supplies for local elderly residents who are sponsored by the Caring Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound (CASA). Each year CASA provides USA with a list of most-needed items. Employees and subcontractors donate these items and place them under a Christmas tree for CASA to pick up and deliver. Donations included food, blankets, personal items and monetary contributions. CASA provides many free services to individuals 60 and older and those of any age who are homebound. Some of the provisions included grocery shopping assistance, transportation to medical appointments, wheelchair ramps, space heaters, medication delivery, minor home repair and telephone reassurance.

Each year USA employees in Houston also share the spirit of holiday giving with those less fortunate. Employees provided toys and gifts for children who would otherwise receive nothing through a variety of programs that included A Visit from St. Nick, Three Wishes, the Ronald McDonald House Toy Drive, and the Elves & More bike giveaway. They also provided nutritious meals and warm clothing for the homeless and the hungry through donations to the Star of Hope and local area shelters.

USA volunteers participated in the St. Nick packing party, where they joined volunteers from Boeing and members of the Clear Lake community to pack more than 2,000 backpacks with toys for local elementary school children in at-risk and low-income schools. Three Wishes teamed with Ronald McDonald House for their toy drives. Children from infant to 18 years old, were given three wishes for Christmas, and employees purchased and donated the items on the list. The Three Wishes beneficiaries were children who are currently wards of Harris County’s Children’s Protective Services. The Ronald McDonald House toy drive provided toys for children currently residing at the facility in Galveston.

The Elves and More program benefits impoverished children in the Houston area. Fifty-six USA volunteers signed up to assemble bikes that were given away for Christmas. In the week leading up to Christmas, hundreds of volunteers helped build and deliver 20,000 brand-new bicycles and more than 4,500 treasure boxes for nearly 25,000 children in the Greater Houston Area.

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