Employee donations keep vets warm
(pictured above: Sherill Hebron, Sylvia Pegram, Delores Smith, Nameen Hebron and Toyrie McPhaul, wireless customer service specialists, pose with some of the scarves and hats they knitted for the collection drive.)
Triad AT&T employees have given to those who gave their service to us.
On Veterans Day (Nov. 11), they donated a trove of winter coats, gloves and hats to Triad veterans in need. The items include 18 hats and nine scarves hand-knitted by employees Sherill Hebron, Sylvia Pegram, Delores Smith, Nameen Hebron and Toyrie McPhaul.
Evans
“For nearly 100 years, AT&T has remained dedicated to supporting active military personnel, veterans and their families,” said Kathleen Evans, AT&T Regional Director of External Affairs. “Our nation’s service men and women make sacrifices to protect our country and our freedoms, and, as a company, we see it as an honor to support them both at home and abroad.”
AT&T’s Veteran Employee Resource Group (ERG) is 31 years old and has more than 6,000 members. This group creates an instant community for veterans joining the company and involves them in outreach, philanthropy and volunteerism opportunities, including ways to help refer fellow veterans to jobs at AT&T.
The donated winter items will be distributed through the Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program.
“Homelessness among our veterans continues to be a problem here in North Carolina and around the country,” said Lesley Reece, a VA social work supervisor. “We appreciate the help in serving these men and women and letting them know they are not forgotten. And a warm coat certainly sends that message.”
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), homelessness among veterans has been decreasing, but approximately 50,000 veterans are on the streets on any given night.
Guilford County Commissioner Hank Henning praised the company’s donation.
“It is exciting to see folks here in Guilford County continuing to support those who have worn our country’s uniform,” he said. “While we can’t solve the problem of homelessness, this coat drive will make a difference in many lives.”
AT&T has received numerous awards and recognition for its support for military personnel, veterans and their families, including recognition as one of the 10 Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses by Vetrepreneur magazine and one of the top military-friendly companies by GI Jobs Magazine.
