American Water held a companywide employee volunteer event in September called AmerICANs in Action! Month of Service. More than 1,700 American Water employees participated in 92 different community volunteer projects representing American Water operations in 12 states and Ontario, Canada.
American Water launched a formal Corporate Responsibility program in 2009, and AmerICANs in Action!, which is one initiative of this program, aims to continue the company’s efforts to create a lasting, positive impact in the communities the company serves. AmerICANs in Action! encourages teams of employees to get out of the office and volunteer in the communities where they live and work. In its fourth year, the results from this year’s event significantly surpassed last year’s participation.
“From the pleasure of bringing smiles to the faces of children; to the appreciation expressed from an elderly customer; to organizing and packing food for those in need, our employees witnessed first-hand the incredible effect of community service,” said Susan Story, president and CEO. “AmerICANs in Action! Month of Service is not only about making a difference in our communities, but strengthening customer relationships. It also represents an opportunity to put what we value to work and help organizations that really need us. It is our hope that what we do will inspire others to come together to help build stronger communities.”
Employees demonstrated a diverse range of skills through projects that included a yard clean-up for an elderly, disabled customer in Missouri, a river and beach clean-up in California, sorting and packing food in New Jersey, constructing a new playground in Kentucky, and collecting school supplies for kids in need in Virginia. Many employees volunteered at animal shelters, while others teamed up with their local Habitat for Humanity or United Way chapters.
Source: American Water
