Helping California’s workers and employers is what State Fund employees do every day.
And in late October State Fund employees demonstrated their commitment to their local communities by lending a hand at rescue missions, serving meals to the homeless and packaging food and clothing for people in need.
It was all part of the 2008 Volunteer Week held Oct. 18 - 25.
Volunteer Week is sponsored by the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation as a way for insurance organizations to focus on helping their local communities. It is the largest ongoing volunteer initiative in the insurance industry.
In Glendale, 15 employees from the legal unit went to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank where they sorted through boxes of donated food checking for expiration dates and discarding spoiled food items.
“It was a humbling experience for all of us and we learned a lot,” said Katherine Harvey-Edwards, attorney in charge.
Employees from the Burbank CPC spent their time at Project Angel Food helping prepare food that was distributed to children affected by AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Others spent their time at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank packaging food and clothing for the needy. In all, 41 employees from Burbank CPC took part in this year’s volunteer week.
Employees were given up to four hours paid time off to participate in officially sponsored Volunteer Week activities.
In Orange County, 30 employees not only volunteered their time but also held a food drive. State Fund co-workers lent a hand at Community Action Partnership in Garden Grove, Child Abuse Prevention Center in Orange and Garden Grove, and delivered 14 boxes of donated food to Orangewood Children’s Foundation in Santa Ana.
In a thank you note to State Fund volunteers, Mark Lowry, director of Community Action Partnership of Orange County, said, “Your entire group was enthusiastic and hard working and we are encouraged to see groups like yours placing such a high priority on helping others.”
Forty State Fund employees from the Fresno Central Processing Center divided their time between the Central Valley Food Bank, Poverello House, Fresno Nonprofit Advancement Council, Fresno State’s Women’s Resource Center and Catholic Charities.
State Fund employees from various other regions also took part from Eureka to San Diego helping at places such as La Casa del las Madres, Good News Rescue Mission, Second Harvest, Loaves & Fishes and the Alameda Food Bank.
In an email noting his appreciation, Bill Ross of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, said, “State Fund clearly set an example for others to follow in future years!”
