UPS has had a partnership with Aloha United Way for decades. Through the company’s Workplace Giving Campaign, it encourages employees to go the extra mile to serve its community and facilitate in helping other businesses do the same.
“It’s really part of our legacy and what we’re trying to do as an organization to really invest in our communities in which we serve,” says UPS Hawaii Director of Operations Jon Bierly. “A lot of people giving a little bit makes a huge difference. It’s uniting together and really having the participation to help impact the community.”
UPS brings in non-profit organizations to hear how Aloha United Way has helped make a difference in people’s lives. Bierly says it’s an opportunity to talk to the staff about what it would mean to give just $5 a week.
“Could you not spend $5 on one cup of coffee from Starbucks and give that to help out your community?” Bierly offers. He explains that $5 over a 52 week period turns out to be a substantial amount of money when you have hundreds of people working to raise the money together.
UPS also partners with other businesses to help with the many projects Aloha United Way is involved in to better the community. Bierly says just recently, UPS partnered with Hawaii Stationary to donate to Aloha United Way’s school drive to help homeless keiki.
“They were looking for a place to donate some of their school supplies,” Bierly says. That’s when the UPS management team decided to volunteer their time to pick up six palettes of school supplies and deliver them to Aloha United Way. “Truly a remarkable way of joining an organization to really come to a cause.”
This year, Aloha United Way is celebrating 100 years of helping the community, and it is in the midst of its annual giving campaign. Its goal is to raise $10 million to support more than 300 local nonprofits and Aloha United Way programs that help the community, and all of the money that is raised stays here on Oahu. Go to AUW.org to learn more and donate.