A Challenge

I would like to throw out a challenge to all of your companies. We have a No-Solicitation policy but feel this warrants an exception.

We are going to allow our employees to contribute a one time cash gift via payroll deduction the week of September 19th. The Owner / President of our company is going to match 100% of what is given and it will all be forwarded to the American Red Cross. If every subscriber to this forum could raise $4-5 K, just think what a difference it could make.

We can sit and bash the government, political parties or agencies, however the real proof is in stepping up to the plate and doing our part. We can watch and read what is going / gone on and comment until we are blue in the face. However, unless you are there and are living through it, you'll never know the real story. Will never feel the pain and anguish that have been felt. Will never know all the good stories of those that have taken families in, the heros that have rescued others, those that have donated time and money.....

I could go on and on but PLEASE give this some consideration for your company to get involved.

Comments

  • 13 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • AMEN POPEYE! Yesterday we kicked-off the only fundraising/solicitation drive since 9/11. All funds donated by employees will be matched by the company to the tune of a 4X kicker. We will then present the Red Cross with a check on behalf of all employees.

    We expect our ee's to raise around $4K and the company to kick-in an additional $16K.

    Gene
  • Now that's what I'm taking about!!!!!!
  • Here is another heart-warming story and I paraphrase from a local TV web site:

    Chris Cruise, 17, was inspired to dig deep and help those who lost everything from Katrina.
    "I couldn't believe the destruction and suffering going on and I had to help to do something about it," he said. He was hesitant at first about the publicity he would get from his donation.

    The Senior in high school wrote a letter to President Bush expressing his sorrow and to send all he could possibly give.

    Cruise said that he did not know anyone personally affected, but the images he's seen on the news made him want to sacrifice for others. Cruise enclosed a check for $15,000, his whole life savings and college fund to go to those children left homeless or parentless or both.

    Remember, it's not equal giving that matters...it's equal sacrifice!!!
  • I am always amazed at the level of compassion and giving by Americans. I am sure that the amount of giving resulting from the devastation left by Katrina will reach record levels. It is part of the American spirit and what makes us the great nation we are.

    My company started a relief effort to raise money for Katrina victims. I know that in the week of establishing a fund for Katrina victims, the response has been overwhelming. The company has made a large monetary donation, as well as donating needed supplies. The main thing is to give. Don't go out to dinner and a movie this weekend and donate the money to the Red Cross or the Salvation Army. Tell your kids that they do not need Madden '06 and give the $50.00 to a charity that is making a difference for those that lost everything. There is always something that you can "forego" in order to make an impact. Thanks for the challenge POPEYE.
  • We are, also, giving our employees paid time-off. The refugees are starting to come to this area and need help settling in, learning about their new neighborhood, registering kids for school etc., etc.
  • Refugees (correct term?) started coming in to the Albuquerque Convention Center a few blocks away from our office on Monday. We are a very community service oriented company. Our CEO announced Tuesday that all employee and customer donations, single donations over $25, will be matched up to $75,000 and turned over to the American Red Cross. The goal is to raise $150,000 which we may make by Friday. We're collecting baby supplies (diapers, wipes, etc.) also.
  • We also started a fund raiser matching 100% of all contributions made by our employees and customers/vendors going to Red Cross.

    We have already received over 5000k from them so far which will be match by our company.
  • I'm curious to know if those companies that have offices located in the Gulf region, but with other offices in the US are making plans to relocate their employees??

    We don't fall into this situation...but it seems that every state is angling to "adopt families" this might be one way to do it.


  • Yep, same here our bank has done the same. We are working with the local Red Cross office. Our local newspaper has pictures and articles every day about more families and students that have moved into this area due to the storm.
  • We did the donation thing with EEs and managers matched it - the Company cannot because we are getting federal and state dollars that have restrictions on that sort of thing.

    Reno is taking 300 Evacuees starting on Friday - the community is stepping up in several ways to welcome them and get them settled - lots to do and the citizens are stepping up.
  • We're doing a match, but also opened it up to our customers. One donated $10,000! So we're going to be WAY up there.

    Refugees have been coming into Phoenix since Sunday or Monday, staying at the old home of the Phoenix Suns, Veteran's Memorial Coliseum - more informally known as the madhouse on McDowell.

    Saturday, ASU was to play LSU in Baton Rouge. As they have no available accommodations for the players, the game will be played in Tempe. As season ticket holders, we got first shot at tickets, so bought four. All proceeds after the costs of the game will be donated to the disaster relief. They are hoping to hit a cool $1 million.
  • I just received this email. The movement started at every level is amazing!

    Dear Gene,
    You're probably aware that thousands of the hurricane evacuees are arriving in Tennessee. There we approximately 250 people sheltered at the Smyrna air base facilities, about 30 at a church in Murfreesboro as well as other centers around Davidson and Williamson county. At this time we're hearing as many as 20,000 evacuees from the disaster areas are being relocated to Tennessee.

    The number of remaining evacuees today is around 130 due to moving on to the homes of family, friends and caring people in our community. The Red Cross cannot say for certain if more people will continue to be sent here as vacancy permits, but it's a probability. In any event, the relocation process for these folks will take months.

    The Town of Smyrna is collecting items to be sent by truck to the affected areas in Layfayette and Baton Rouge, Lousiana. Go their website for more information: [url]http://www.townofsmyrna.org/[/url]

    As individual companies and those in the HR profession, we can play a vital role in helping these folks re-establish their lives by providing them with jobs and most importantly, hope for a better tomorrow.

    The local Stones River SHRM Chapter is committing to do what we can in this disaster recovery process. Over the coming weeks the chapter will channel available job information between companies in the surrounding Rutherford County area and groups such as the local Red Cross, the Salvation Army and churches. What we are asking you to do is let us know of your job openings, the job requirements and your contact information. The chapter will work with these support groups to get your job information to the people wanting to find work as quickly as possible. Job fairs may be planned as well.

    In a few days we'll get back with you as to how to communicate job openings to us. Also, please think about volunteering your time to help the Stones River SHRM Chapter meet this challenge. More about how HR volunteers can help will be relayed to you soon.

    Tennesseeans always respond to others in need and in this instance HR folks are at the front of the line!

    Stones River SHRM Chapter (Murfreesboro, TN)

    Affiliate of Society for Human Resource Management

    website: [url]www.srshrm.org[/url]


  • The response to SHRM must have been immediate. By the time I printed out the application to go to Baton Rouge, a message indicated that no more applications were being accepted.

    Today there will be a very large concert, or group of concerts, in a major park in Elkton. Local bands of all kinds - country, blues, jazz, rock and roll, contemporary, gospel, bluegrass - have organized an event to raise money to be given to the Red Cross. Vendors will be setting up and all proceeds will be donated. Also, for the next two weeks, the Town of Elkon is hosting a drop off site in our building for items to be sent to affected areas. We will be sending two workers with CDL's and trucks to help with the physical clean up.

    If you need directions to the park, email me. If you need a ride, I'll spring for the gas.
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