ORAU Employees in the Spirit of Giving
Through a variety of initiatives, ORAU employees have given generously to those in need this holiday season.
Oak Ridge Holiday Bureau: Twenty-three ORAU “elves” volunteered to help more than 180 needy families select gifts for their children at the Oak Ridge Holiday Bureau. The bureau collects new and used toys, books, clothing and bicycles throughout the year in order to provide Anderson County’s low-income families with gifts at Christmastime.
ORAU employees Jane Price, Darlene Andrews, Diane Stines, Millette Smart and Cindy Skidmore donated time out of their morning to volunteer for the Oak Ridge Holiday Bureau on Dec. 13.
Mission of Hope: ORAU employees donated food, clothing, hygiene items, toys and cash as part of the companywide 2007 Mission of Hope drive. This was ORAU’s fifth year supporting Mission of Hope’s Christmas campaign, which last year assisted over 16,000 children and family members throughout Appalachia with food, new clothing, books, toys and other items.
YWCA Battered Women's Shelter: Several departments within ORAU supported the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter of Oak Ridge this year. One department held a holiday bake sale as well as a silent auction to support families at the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter. Staff members contributed to the auction by donating items including gift baskets, crafts, home furnishings, toys, as well as gift certificates and other merchandise solicited from local businesses. The auction raised more than $1,160, which was used to purchase clothing and wish list requests for the mothers and their children.
Another department contributed by adopting two families from the shelter, which included a total of four children. Wishes of the children and their mothers were hung on the group’s Angel Tree and employees were encouraged to fulfill what wishes they could.
Stride (Arvada, Colo.): ORAU's Arvada team sponsored a family through “Stride,” a program that helps less fortunate families become self sufficient through temporary housing, education, child care assistance, job training and financial planning.