Alcoa Inc, an Ackermann client since 2000, flexed both financial and literal muscles today for our local community. They gave a heckuva lot of money to the community, and then their employees and managers put their muscles where their money left off.
Alcoa Foundation and Alcoa Inc. Tennessee Operations announced today more than $190,000 in grants to 11 local non-profits. Members of the Alcoa Community Advisory Board, a group of 12 local business, community and government leaders, participated in a check-passing ceremony deep within the Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse. (A $15,000 Alcoa Foundation grant helps expand Second Harvest’s Food for Kids program at local schools).
A dozen Alcoa Inc. managers and key employees, approximately half from the Blount County plant and half from Alcoa Knoxville’s downtown office, also came to the warehouse. A big check was signed and handed over to Second Harvest; folks clapped, and photos were taken. It was standard ceremonial fare.
But then a very cool thing happened. This workforce of more than 20 folks, many of them senior Alcoa managers (including Chris Jackson, Alcoa Tennessee Operations Rigid Packaging Division Location Manager),rolled up their sleeves and worked for hours in that muggy warehouse, kicking off Food for Kids.
It was like a tsunami of coordinated movements. I could see that the Second Harvest workers were grateful for the help, as Alcoa’s team pitched in to build, tape, pack and inventory hundreds of boxes.
Tapeguns whirred, boxes flew through the air, and yes, there was even a little trash talkin’ to encourage everyone to work at the same frenetic pace. Human chains formed as we handed off school treats and backpacks one by one into even MORE boxes. Sweat definitely was on every single brow. WBIR-TV was on hand for the action, and aired very nice piece on 10 News at 6.
Finally, the Second Harvest warehouse workers literally had to ask us to stop; we had accomplished far more in those hours than they had anticipated!! As we left the warehouse in the mid-day heat – tired, perhaps a tad sore – we envisioned the 300-plus schoolchildren who will benefit from Alcoa’s money and our labor.
Today’s volunteer work day showed that it’s a good thing to put your money where your mouth is, but it’s an even BETTER thing to back up your money with some well-meaning muscle, too. Way to go, Alcoa.
Please pass the Ben-Gay…
