Welcome to “The Good Stuff”, where we highlight positive news and ways that employees of NAED-member companies go above and beyond to give back to their communities! If you have some “Good Stuff” that you would like to share with tED magazine, find out how below.
In this issue, we look at City Electric Supply.
DALLAS, Texas — Sending toys across the state, 31 City Electric Supply (CES) branches got into the holiday spirit by donating hundreds of toys to local organizations.
Christmas time is a time of giving, and City Electric Supply (CES) stores across Texas were determined to give children a special holiday season. Thirty-one CES branches across four Texas districts participated in their first-ever toy drive, donating over 800 toys to charities that are local their areas.
“It would be a shame if we couldn’t give back to the communities that give so much to us,” said Regional Manager Nate Jefferson. “I have three kids, and a kid’s smile means the world to me. We all get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle. It was rewarding to have everyone take a step back and say, ‘We want to help.’.”
The CES districts of Austin, Houston, and San Antonio all set up bins in their branches for toy collections at the time and donated to charities with special programs that help deliver that Christmas magic to children.
The Austin District chose to donate their toys to Partnerships for Children, a nonprofit that provides support and care for children, youth, and families involved in child protective services.
“We cannot thank City Electric Supply enough for helping us turn wishes into smiles this holiday season,” said Partnerships for Children Volunteer and Engagement Manager Kelly Wisniewski. “Without the Holiday Wishes Program, these kids might not have received a present for Christmas. It means the world to have the community come together and empower these families.”
The Houston Districts chose to donate their toys to DePelchin Children’s Center. DePelchin assists children in foster care by facilitating adoptions and supporting adoptive parents.
“This year, we are serving over 890 kids in the Houston area in our Holiday Project,” said DePelchin Children’s Center Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager Kelsey Pett. “We know that we cannot service this number of children during the holidays, without groups like City Electric Supply. Making the holidays magical for them is what’s most important to us.”
“Doing things for the community makes us feel like we’re more than just a business,” said Austin District Manager Mehs Ess. “I’m glad each district got to donate to local charities. Any chance we have to be involved in our communities is really important to us.”
The San Antonio District chose to donate toys to Family Service: the oldest community nonprofit providing economic stability, education, and healthcare services to families.
“We are very grateful and happy for the support of City Electric Supply in making sure our families get the help that they need,” said Family Service President and CEO Mary Garr. “Toy drives like this are so important in fulfilling our family wish lists.”
Many businesses were impacted when the pandemic re-shaped the world, and these organizations were no different.
“Charities have received about 20 percent of what they used to due to COVID,” said San Antonio District Manager Tyler Cannon. “It’s a huge deficit. A lot of people got hit hard, but not everyone thinks about the nonprofits and charities that get hit, too.”
“The toys that City Electric Supply collected have gone to support our Adopt-A-Family Campaign,” said Garr. “This year, we have over 500 families involved in the program. Many of our families are in the same position this year as they were last year, being affected by Covid. We want to make sure the community understands that they are really making an impact when donating.”
In true CES family fashion, the districts took on the task and used the holiday spirit to make everything come to life. Branch employees were soon posting on their personal social media pages to spread awareness, and customers were making multiple trips to branches in a single day to fill entire bins.
“One of my branches took the bin and decorated it- they added a skirt, Christmas lights, had the sign, everything looked awesome,” said Houston South District Manager Daren Thode. “We’re really lucky to have such great teams at our branches.”
“The biggest part of this for me is seeing the excitement from our branches,” said Houston North District Manager Darron Rocka. “It’s a side of my guys I’ve never seen before. It’s great to see people step up, come together, and understand that this is for a child that may not be as fortunate as they were.”
After gathering all the toys from central locations to drop them off at designated areas, CES vans took multiple trips to get all the toys delivered.
“It’s unbelievable the response we got,” said Jefferson. “People were seeing our posts and asking where they could drop toys off. The idea was nothing without the team’s dedication. I’m fortunate to be connected to a great group of people who just ran with it.”
With the first-ever toy drive creating such excitement from the branches, the CES team is excited to prepare for next year.
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