Late November preparations started at TechWise Headquarters to support the local annual Feed The Children Event. The Christmas Tree went up and children’s gifts started piling up underneath. In one of the conference rooms a coat rack went up for donated winter coats.
Feed the Children is a partnership between the El Paso County Department of Human Services, The Music Evangelism Foundation, Goodwill Industries, Springs Church, AspenPointe, and a long list of other donors and volunteers. It is a one day event just before Christmas where the families already receiving help from the Department of Human Services are able to enjoy a day of celebration. Semi trucks loaded with food, toys, and toiletries for the families are purchased from the Feed the Children Organization in Oklahoma and driven to Colorado Springs. Last year more than 6,000 people in El Paso County were served and 60 volunteers enthusiastically gave up their Saturday. Totaling donations and volunteer hours it is estimated that more than $1 million went into the event. Donations and volunteers were needed again this year, and TechWise employees heeded the call.
Employees donated coats and toys, and TechWise CEO Shawnee Huckstep donated additional money so employees could go shop in locally-owned toy stores for even more toys to place under the tree. Headquarters’ employees packed up all the toys and coats and on 7 December Feed The Children volunteers came by to pick up TechWise’s donations. TechWise support didn’t stop there. Volunteers J Chesney and Donald Counts supported the preparations and setup on 16 December and Mona Essary with her two granddaughters Channze and Kenndra were at the actual Give Away Event on 17 December.
The Event on the 17th comprised, among many other offerings, free turkeys for all, a table with hats and mittens, a table with bibles and other religious books, many racks of clothing, and a table with free blankets. Volunteers supplied and distributed burritos for all attendees. Home Depot supplied and staffed tables with materials and tools for kids to make their own toys. The volunteers were supported in a hospitality section with water, food, and fresh fruit. It was a very successful and worthwhile event that TechWise is very happy to have supported! Mona and her granddaughters are certainly volunteering again next year!
Becky Mitchell Toy Shopping
at Little Richard’s
Event Day Volunteer Mona Essary
with her Granddaughters
Channze and Kenndra
Set Up Day Volunteers
Donald Counts and J Chesney
TechWise Coat Donations
Rey Rinen, Donald Counts,
J Chesney, and
Jodi Sturghill, boxing
up Toys
