At Asphalt Materials, employees assemble snack packs for children
Employees of Asphalt Materials, Inc., assemble snack packs for children on Aug. 10, 2022, at the company’s Indianapolis headquarters. The project was done in partnership with United Way of Central Indiana, and snack packs went to the nonprofit Second Helpings.
INDIANAPOLIS – On tables inside Asphalt Materials, juice boxes and breakfast bars sat piled high.
Volunteers grabbed the items and stuffed them into large Ziploc bags, along with crackers, fruit pouches and napkins. Then they slipped in one final item, a notecard with a handwritten message:
Have the Best Day Ever
You Are Awesome
Smile =) it looks good on you!
In early August, employees of Asphalt Materials, Inc., assembled snack packs for children at the company’s Indianapolis headquarters. The project was done in partnership with United Way of Central Indiana and is part of a larger initiative of the company. In November, Asphalt Materials locations throughout the Midwest will work with 20 local United Ways on volunteer projects to help their communities.
During the August project, about 30 employees put together 1,000 snack packs, which went to Second Helpings. The nonprofit is an accredited community organization with United Way and has worked to address hunger and poverty in Central Indiana for more than 20 years.
Chip Ray, president of Asphalt Materials, said it’s important for the company to give back to the community. The business’s parent company, The Heritage Group, has a large commitment to United Way, he said.
“We realize there’s a lot of people who are struggling in the current economic environment,” Ray said. “Children in particular need the food necessary to be able to focus on their studies and grow as individuals. We feel that’s a worthwhile cause for our company to support.”
Ray kicked off the event by highlighting the need. One in seven Hoosiers are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life, he told the volunteers. Nearly 40% of Indiana households cannot afford to meet their basic needs, he said, citing United Way data.
Chris McGee, executive vice president of Asphalt Materials, said the volunteer project not only benefits the community, but also makes employees feel good about giving back.
“We’ve all been blessed and lucky enough to find our way, and we need to reach back and help people and others who are not as fortunate as we’ve been,” he said.
In November, the company’s plants in Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky will host different volunteer projects to address their communities’ needs. Each location will work with its local United Way to find a way to make a difference, McGee said.
“There’s a lot of ways to partner with communities, but United Way is very well-known,” he said. “… I think it’s just got a reputation for actually making a difference.”