Welcome to “The Good Stuff,” where we highlight positive news and ways that NAED employees and 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, find out how below.
In this issue of “The Good Stuff”, Southwire’s Project GIFT distributed more than 4,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to local K-12 students.

On July 19, Southwire’s Project GIFT hosted its annual Back to School drive in West Georgia, distributing more than 4,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to local K-12 students.
More than 100 volunteers gathered at Midway Church in Villa Rica, Ga., to participate in one of the company’s signature Giving Back events.

“Back-to-school season is always something special,” said Stefanie Anderson, Sr. Giving Back Specialist. “Every small act of support helps parents and students feel more prepared—and more excited—for the year ahead.”
The West Ga. event was just one of many. Throughout July and August 2025, 26 Southwire communities will host school supply drives or partner with local organizations to help their local students prepare for the academic year.
“It’s a great opportunity to pour back into the community that supports you,” said Amber Bassett, Total Rewards Coordinator. “My mom is a teacher, so the chance to serve alongside my peers that I work with every day giving back to our community, especially in the education area, is a great way to get plugged in.”

The work goes beyond the bookbag distribution events. Even more volunteers joined the cause ahead of the event. Southwire team members donated their time to prepare for the event by packing the bookbags to be distributed in West Ga. and beyond. In total, 30,000 bookbags are anticipated to be distributed through Project GIFT’s Back-to-School events.
2025 marks Southwire’s twenty-first year of the Back-to-School supply drive. Other signature Giving Back events include Walk for Water benefitting Water Mission, Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive and Disaster Relief Collection and Distribution campaigns.
Back-to-School is made possible by the generosity of its sponsors: West Georgia Technical College, MedImpact, Cintas, Midway Church, RaLin, CDT Inc., Tisinger Vance, University of West Georgia, 3:16 Healthcare, Phoenix Wood Products, Heart Wood Products, Chick-fil-A, The City Menus, Gradick Communications, New Leaf Marketing and Systems & Methods Inc.
To learn more about Giving Back at Southwire, visit southwire.com/sustainability.
Find more “Good Stuff” articles here on tEDmag.com.
tED wants to know about your “Good Stuff”. If you work with someone who is helping other people, or a group of co-workers that’s creating better outcomes, we want to know about it.
Please send your “Good Stuff” to Marie at mjakle@naed.org and Nicky at nherron@naed.org. Send us details, names, and photos if you have them.
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