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Insights > Hot Springs Employees Eager to Give Back in Garland County
Hot Springs Employees Eager to Give Back in Garland County
05/10/2016
Chris Robertson, construction supervisor for Hot Springs, says volunteering last year with the United Way made such an emotional impact that his team wanted to commit to community action on an annual basis.
“This is our opportunity to give back to our local community,” said Robertson, who serves on the board of the United Way of Garland County.
The Entergy team signed up for a stint with the United Way of Garland County’s Day of Caring on April 28. They lent their muscle to Project HOPE Food Bank’s emergency food box program which provides immediate relief to families in need. Food boxes include approximately 50 pounds of canned fruits, vegetables, soups and meat, dried beans, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cereal, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and sauces, along with shelf-stable milk. During a two-hour shift, team members stocked shelves and packed the food boxes which contain enough food to feed a family of four for a week.
“Each event we participate in is a very humbling, eye-opening experience,” said Robertson, describing how it feels to get a chance to see first-hand how Entergy’s philanthropic support creates value for the utility’s customers and communities, two of Entergy’s four key stakeholders.
“At the end of the day, it makes you feel good.”
That collective experience galvanizes Jane Browning, executive director of the United Way of Garland County. “Sharing in the spirit of giving is a truly unique sense of exhilaration,” said Browning, who added that Entergy’s team joined 125 other volunteers helping with similar projects throughout Garland County on the Day of Caring.
Browning says the Food Bank operates entirely by cash donations to purchase food and the work of volunteers to pack it up to be distributed. Families may need help due to “a sudden medical situation or a major equipment breakdown requiring expensive repairs,” said Browning.
“United Way thanks Entergy and your terrific employees, and all those who put in a good day's work on behalf of their fellow citizens in Garland County,” said Browning.
United Way is the largest charity in the U.S. and is made up of more than 1,000 local organizations, including the United Way of Garland County. Local organizations post their volunteer needs on the United Way website and volunteers can choose from a variety of programs focusing on improving and enhancing education, income and health.
Employees who participated in the Day of Caring project were: Ashley Selph, Karen West, Scott Dannelley, Charlie Dumas and Chris Wasson.
Entergy employees and retirees who record twenty volunteer hours throughout the year are awarded a $250 grant to the eligible charity of their choice, thanks to Entergy shareholders. For more information on the Community Connector program visit: http://www.entergy.com/our_community/volunteerism.aspx
