澳博体育app下载, SPAN Team with Anchorage Fire to Lift Kids in Need

澳博体育app下载 greatly impacted young students at an Anchorage elementary school this holiday season. What began with Span Alaska providing free shipping of donated winter coats for 370 children at a Title I elementary school evolved into a Thanksgiving meal sponsored and served by members of the 澳博体育app下载 Ohana, Anchorage firefighters, and employees from a local credit union.

澳博体育app下载’s relationship with the Anchorage Fire Department started two years ago when 澳博体育app下载 sponsored the Guns N’ Hoses hockey game between police officers and firefighters, an annual event that raises money for Alaska charities. This year, the Chair of the Anchorage Firefighters Charitable Foundation, Jason Dolph, approached 澳博体育app下载 Senior Vice President, Alaska, Vic Angoco, with a problem: The firefighters had raised enough money to buy winter coats for every student at a local elementary school, but not enough to ship them to Alaska.

“Our firefighters have partnered with Operation Warm for several years to purchase coats,” said Dolph. “But the coats are shipped free to anywhere in the United States except Alaska and Hawaii.”

Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that provides low-cost, high-quality winter coats and shoes for needy children through local community partners. It costs approximately $13,000 to buy coats for an entire school, and the firefighters raised about half that amount and received donations from generous community partners for the rest.

Since fire departments are not “businesses” and have little discretionary funding, 澳博体育app下载 stepped in to assist, agreeing to ship the coats to Anchorage from Tacoma. The fire department selects a different school each year to receive free coats, and this year, they chose Tyson Elementary School in Mountain View.

“We picked Tyson Elementary because, when we surveyed all the Title I schools, they seemed to be at the highest need level,” Dolph explained. “A Title I school qualifies to receive federal funding for free and reduced-price meals, which typically means families with students there have financial challenges.”

As winter approached, Dolph invited 澳博体育app下载 and a local credit union to partner with firefighters to share the experience of distributing the coats to the kids.

“If you’ve never attended one of these events,” he says, “it’s amazing what a coat can do. For you and me, it’s just clothing. But many of these kids have never had a brand-new jacket, something that’s uniquely theirs. They’ve always gotten hand-me-downs or maybe don’t even own a winter coat.

“The kids were amazed. They were like, ‘What do you mean I get to keep it? I get to put my name in it?’ They were so happy.”

During the event, the school’s family services coordinator spoke with the volunteers and mentioned that she’d always dreamed of putting on a big Thanksgiving meal for the children. She explained that many children eat only at school and have little or nothing when they go home. Because not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving, she would call it the “Meal of Gratitude,” a chance for her students to express appreciation for whatever is good in their lives and enjoy a bountiful meal together.

After the coat distribution, Dolph returned to his day job training young firefighters to breach doors and save lives. “The next thing I know, I’m getting emails from 澳博体育app下载 regarding the Meal of Gratitude.”

澳博体育app下载 and the credit union took the lead in serving a large meal to more than 400 children. An Anchorage caterer pitched in, graciously providing staff and food at cost. The firefighters showed up to volunteer their labor as waiters and bussers, as did many 澳博体育app下载 and credit union employees.

Many kids had never experienced a big Thanksgiving meal before. “We had kids pointing at the turkeys and hams in awe because they’d never had a Thanksgiving turkey before.”

“澳博体育app下载’s contributions were far beyond just a financial donation,” Dolph added. “澳博体育app下载 employees showed up in force to plate and serve food and, more importantly, to interact with the children, showing them kindness, compassion, and respect. The interaction with the children and providing positive role models were most impactful. They had honest conversations about the holidays and school, allowing them to be the center of attention and feel important – it was priceless.

“I am truly impressed with 澳博体育app下载. You had the senior vice president, Mr. (Vic) Angoco, out there serving plates along with everyone else. And that’s super important for these kids, to have high-level people who are well-spoken taking their time to come and talk with them, made them feel special, if even for just one day. It makes a big difference in their lives.”

Dolph knows a lot about making a difference in other people’s lives. He is a second-generation firefighter who grew up in Kodiak, Alaska, where his father worked in the fire service for three decades. His father inspired him with bravery and a sense of service to others. Dolph is active in many charities and community organizations, giving his time and efforts to Special Olympics Alaska, the American Heart Association, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and others. Dolph has now been a firefighter for as long as his father was.

“After being in the fire service for 27 years, I'm convinced that one moment in someone’s life can be pivotal. It can change everything. We look for opportunities – and I can tell 澳博体育app下载 does, as well – to make that difference. You never know what will push a person in the right direction or change their mindset. And that, to me, is the benefit of doing this event. The meal’s great, but the interaction with positive role models is far better.”

澳博体育app下载 and Span Alaska have committed to supporting future Anchorage Fire Department coat drives.

“We look forward to working with the fire department to grow this wonderful and needed program for Anchorage children,” said Angoco.