Amid the end-of-year frenzy of holidays, a number of local companies and their employees have made time for philanthropic activities, devoting time, talent and treasure to area nonprofits.
Last week, for example, Castle Branch offered a team-building community service opportunity to its employees. They were encouraged to put down the laptop and pick up a hammer for one day to make critical improvements to the home of an elderly low-income resident of Wilmington. Working through Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM), the Castle Branch team rebuilt the woman’s back porch so it was safe, installed handrails on the front porch, and replaced the unstable bathroom and laundry room floors. These modifications are designed to reduce tripping and falling hazards and allow the resident to age in place.
“Castle Branch team members sincerely enjoy coming together to support our community and this project is a great opportunity to do just that,” Sharon DiBona, the company’s vice president of operations and leader of their community outreach efforts, said in a news release.
IKA Corp., a major manufacturer of laboratory and process equipment, has been a consistent supporter of Kids Making It, a nonprofit that teaches woodworking skills to at-risk youth. This month IKA’s Rene Stiegelmann donated a Killinger hydraulic copy lathe to the organization’s apprenticeship program.
In an emailed statement, Kids Making It director Jimmy Pierce said the lathe is “a German engineered and manufactured machine that replicates turned parts precisely, and will enable our apprenticeship team to take on large production orders.”
Good Shepherd is the recipient of several end-of-year gifts from local businesses, according to the organization’s senior development official, Jane Birnbach. Throughout December, Cell Phone Repair (CPR) is donating profits from phones repaired at its facility.
Rexroad Loweth Wealth Management donated 70 on-air ad spots through Hometown Wilmington Media to enable Good Shepherd could share its holiday message with the community. Employees of Stevenson Honda, First Bank and AAA are collecting goods and funds to ensure that Good Shepherd clients will have a special holiday. And Country Inn & Suites is running a November-December special – a package at the property’s best available rate. For every special booked, Good Shepherd receives $5.
“And, every single day we are the beneficiaries of incredible food donations from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s,” Birnbach added.
Four local entities have stepped up this month for Carousel Center, which advocates for abused and neglected children in the area. Executive director Amy Feath said that Great Oaks Club, Toastmasters, and nCino have all adopted Carousel kids and have purchased presents to for Carousel’s Holiday Hugs program. Since the first of December, Perry’s Emporium has been collecting gifts for Holiday Hugs, asking customers to contribute, and they’re matching what customers donate, so that Carousel can purchase Christmas for its other families.
Feath added that the Center for Pain Management always make a financial contribution to enable Carousel Center to purchase Christmas gifts for Carousel families this time of year.
“Basically, our family advocacy staff keep track of families in therapy services – primarily – and some that have received forensic and medical services, who are struggling and need a little extra help to make Christmas special for their children,” Feath said.
AAI Pharma Services committed to help both WHQR public radio and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard this month. For each financial pledge to the radio station during its one-day end-of-year drive Dec. 12, AAI Pharma provided the cost of a meal for a family of four, to be distributed through Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a Wilmington food pantry.
WHQR development director Mary Bradley said the station’s fund drive netted pledges from 580 supporters, resulting in the donation of enough money from AAI Pharma to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard to provide 2,320 meals.
