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Avnet Announces Latest “100 Acts of Giving” Winners in Celebration of Employee Volunteer Efforts During its 100th Anniversary Year

07/23/2021

As part of this campaign, Avnet is donating $1,000 (USD) to 100 eligible nonprofits globally for a total of $100,000. These 100 nonprofits will be identified from stories Avnet employees share describing their volunteer efforts. Eligible nonprofits from these stories will be entered into monthly drawings held throughout Avnet’s centennial year.

Congratulations to the July winners:

AdVita: This organization focuses on supporting children and adults undergoing cancer treatment in St. Petersburg, Russia or those traveling for treatment abroad. The Avnet employee who submitted this organization met and became friends with an AdVita patient from Russisa via social media. The patient writes in Facebook about her bone marrow donor, “I have the feeling that she is embracing me across the distance from her continent to mine. And through this invisible embrace, my whole life receives a greater meaning.”

Arizona Science Center: Avnet is a long-time supporter of the Arizona State Science and Engineering Fair (AzSEF) which is administered by the Arizona Science Center. The mission of AzSEF is to support and provide guidance to students and teachers throughout Arizona and ensure the continued availability and vitality of this statewide celebration of scientific inquiry for the citizens of Arizona.

BET SHE CAN: Employee Elisa Mazzone submitted this organization which introduces girls to new professions, some unusual, through playing and collaborating with older youngsters studying technical programs. The philosophy of BET SHE CAN is all about getting things done with a high level of quality and persistent impact, using innovative and inclusive methods. Their approach towards STEM projects for girls is unique as it combines a younger target (in comparison to the traditional middle school / high school approach), before stereotypes have time to become established, and a complete set of tools (not only STEM topical knowledge) including self-esteem and awareness workshops.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS): Avnet employee John Hunter signed up to be a Big Brother back in April 2007 when his assigned Little, Tony, was 8 years old.  “We hung out for 3-4 hours almost every Saturday until he reached 13 and then moved to monthly fun days.  Tony is now 22 years old, a registered nurse and a fine young man.  Helping to expand Tony's opportunities and witness the growth in this young man was amazing.  We are still friends and get together four times a year to laugh and reconnect.  BBBS is an outstanding program to help ensure our youth do not get left behind due to no fault of their own.”

Dig Deep: Employee Ashley Cooper nominated Dig Deep, a non-profit that works to supply clean drinking water to Native American tribes in the Southwest United States (including the Navajo tribe in Arizona).  “Due to lack of running water, Natives have to carry water from wells each day, sometimes carrying it for miles to return home.  Lack of water leads to sanitation issues, as well as seeking alternative sources of hydration, including larger consumption of sugary drinks, which leads to higher rates of diabetes.”

Elderly Advocates: Employee Amy Sledzik is passionate about supporting Elderly Advocates, as they have been making a positive impact to improve quality care in long-term care facilities in Ohio. “I am partial to this non-profit as my mother is the founder and I have watched her grow it with care and commitment from the ground up, as a grass roots organization.”

Friends of City Dogs, Cleveland: Dan Murphy submitted this organization which provides health care and other services to stray dogs up for adoption.  He volunteers by walking the dogs and providing other enrichment activities for the animals at the shelter.

Illinois Leadership Seminars (ILS): Through ILS programs, students interact with leaders in industry, government, the arts, education, and the media, meeting a diverse world of leaders and leadership styles. Students are then challenged to discover and unleash their own leadership potential in their schools and communities, using the tools and resources made available to them at ILS. “We at Illinois Leadership Seminars don't tell our participants what to think, or even how to think, but stress the importance of careful thought for our world's future leaders,” said the employee who submitted this organization.

Ladder Up: Ladder Up participates in the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to offer free tax return assistance to low income households. The Avnet employee who submitted this organization has been volunteering with them as an income tax preparer since 2016. “Many of our clients do not have savings, so the refund they receive provides real financial relief and opportunity. I get the satisfaction of helping them secure this money and what it represents.”

Myranda's Mended Souls: The employee who submitted this organization fosters dogs until they can find their forever homes.  “I helped with adoption events before COVID and look forward to being able to get back to adoption events soon.”

Phoenix Zoo (AZ Center for Nature Conservation) - Avnet employee Mary Pederson submitted her volunteer story about the Phoenix Zoo. “My love for the animals and how they can be used to educate people lead me to start volunteering at the zoo. I can now be found most Saturday mornings volunteering at the Phoenix Zoo’s Animal Ambassador Resources Center.  These animals help us to educate guests of all ages about the animal, their natural habitat, and ways that our guests can use conservation to make a difference and protect wildlife around the world, so future generations can continue to enjoy seeing and caring for these beautiful animals.”

St. Vincent de PaulAvnet has been a long-time supporter of St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix. This organization is dedicated to serving the poor and providing others to opportunity to serve. In Phoenix, Avnet employees have helped serve meals to the homeless and provided water to those in need during the hot summer months.

Throwaway Ponies Horse Rescue: Employee Midge Tranberg joined this organization in 2011 to find herself, but she found so much more. “I was able to help unwanted, abused or just thrown away horses and donkeys and give them a new purpose, a new spirit, and their health -- all while helping the youth in our communities to gain confidence, find themselves, overcome speech issues, calm those with Autism through horse therapy.”

The Trussell Trust: This organization was submitted for 100 Acts of Giving because they provide a Food Bank for vulnerable people across the UK. 

Yuva Unstoppable: Employee Nisarg Shah has been associated with this organization since 2013 and volunteers by educating children on subjects like English & Science, participating in the cleanliness drive and traffic awareness program, and helping at elderly Homes and orphanages.


Previous winners include:

 

Alive Center: A teen center in the Chicago suburbs, Alive provides leadership programs for local youth. Programs include robotics clubs, tutoring and STEM camps (including STEM camps specifically for girls). Employee Niki Taylor said, “I volunteered at the opening of the center in Naperville, Illinois, several years ago and have supported financially ever since.

AMADYS: Employee Edwige Ponseel submitted a story about AMADYS, the French national organization about dystonia. Dystonia is a rare movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive movements or postures. “I have been AMADYS chairwoman since 2016. We have 70 volunteers, a scientific committee of 35 specialists. We support patients, organize meetings, raise awareness, fight to get a better way of life and treatments, and support the scientific research,” Ponseel said.

Arizona Friends for Life Animal Rescue: Located in Gilbert, Arizona, the no-kill shelter was submitted by an employee who is a passionate supporter.

Armley Helping Hands: Over the last 20 years, Farnell (an Avnet company) has supported Armley Helping Hands (AHH) in a number of ways. Located in the same community as Farnell’s Leeds headquarters, AHH supports socially isolated older people, older people with dementia and their care givers – all from the local community. “AHH sees Farnell very much as a supportive community partner, and AHH is an important part of life and history at Farnell Leeds,” said the employee who submitted this story.

Avon Needs Trees: Employee Mellissa Freeman submitted this reforesting group in the Bristol Avon Catchment area in England. Since January, Mellissa has spent one day every weekend planting trees, shrubs and hedges in her local area with great benefit to the environment and local community.

Backpack4Kidsaz: Employee Patty van West has supported this nonprofit for many years and coordinates an annual backpack drive in Phoenix.

Breast Cancer Can Stick It!: Employee Lynn Bartnett has been volunteering with this unique group for five years. Breast Cancer Can Stick It! is a nonprofit foundation started by a Dallas-area drummer and survivor.

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY): Premier Farnell employee Luke Banks has supported Surrey, England-based CRY for 10 years after two people he knew passed due to cardiac-related issues. The most recent was a sports teammate who collapsed and died on the field during a training session.

Career Connectors: This Arizona organization connects professionals who are in career transition. It was submitted by an employee who benefited from the organization’s services.

Chandler Cultural Foundation: The Chandler Center for the Arts is a collaborative organization making visual and performing arts available to the entire community. This organization was submitted by an Avnet employee who is a long-time board member and advocate for the arts. 

DCA Mexico: Employee Ernesto Otaqui Martínez submitted his volunteer story about DCA Mexico. This organization, located in Mexico, works to strengthen citizenship skills through innovative learning experiences that generate a participatory community in childhood and youth. “I was in the university doing my social service. I had plenty of options to choose from, but what drives me is to make an impact. For this reason, I selected DCA México.”

Dress For Success Phoenix: Employee Claudia Hernandez submitted Dress for Success because it has been a great help to her and so many other women. “I have been a part of their Professional Women's Group for many years and we've done a number of community projects,” Hernandez said.

Furnishing Dignity: The Avnet employee who submitted this organization has been volunteering with Furnishing Dignity in Phoenix for five years by cleaning and packing donated household items and furniture for delivery to families or individuals transitioning from homelessness or foster care into their own apartment.

Girl Scouts, Arizona Cactus Pine: Employee Holly Snopko has been a volunteer with the Girl Scouts since 2003. The Girl Scouts organization gives girls opportunities they would not have otherwise and helps them learn who they are, who they want to be and how to become their best selves. 

Gleaners Food Bank of Michigan: Employee Josh Glenn says that before COVID-19, his team held multiple volunteer days each year at the Gleaners Michigan Branch with local suppliers. “No matter the task for that day, we’ve always walked away fulfilled, helping the community and growing closer as a team,” he said.

HandsOn Greater Phoenix: An employee volunteered for the COVID-19 vaccine effort through this organization and submitted a story about that experience. Avnet has a long-standing relationship of support for this nonprofit, including 27 years of volunteering for the annual serve-a-thon.

Haven First: Employee Rebecca Moore submitted her story about Haven First, which provides much-needed shelter, food and support to the homeless in the Stevenage, England, area. “As a charity, they often rely on the generosity of local people. For many years now, every December the employees of the Stevenage (UK) office collect donations for Haven First,” Moore said.

InHope (Bristol) Limited – Wild Goose: Employee David Pritchard is a volunteer duty manager at Wild Goose Café in Bristol, England, providing the homeless and disadvantaged of Bristol with 100 meals on the first Sunday evening of each month.

Lost Our Home Pet Rescue: Employee Michelle Cross has volunteered for years with Lost Our Home and also leads a pet drive every year at the Avnet McKemy Warehouse in Chandler, Arizona, to support the organization.

Mighty Writers: Employee Paul Kleving submitted his story about Mighty Writers. “I have a tutor and mentor relationship with an individual that Mighty Writers paired me with. We meet one or two times per week in a one-on-one video call to work on any school-related challenges from science and math, to reading, comprehension and writing,” Kleving said.

National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA): Employee Lauren Bates supports NEDA with lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. and educates people on eating disorders because she’s been there. She was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa when she was 17.

Project Humanities Service Saturdays: Project Humanities Service Saturdays provides individuals facing homelessness in the Phoenix downtown community with clothing, toiletries and social interaction. “Individuals can come and choose an outfit for a job interview or find comfort in a coat because they are cold,” said the Avnet employee who submitted this story.

SSAFA – the Armed Forces Charity (UK): Farnell employee Sarah Whenray submitted her story about SSAFA. Ira mission is to relieve need, suffering and distress amongst the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in order to support their independence and dignity. “As an Army veteran, I volunteer as an SSAFA Mentor,” Whenray said.

Waldpiraten: Employee Swen Mayer believes what Waldpiraten does for children with cancer and their families is worthy of support. “As they state on their website: ‘How can children and young people continue to live well after cancer? How do families find their way back into life after so many stresses?’”

Women of West Islip: This organization holds an annual Christmas "Giving Tree” in Long Island, New York, and was submitted as an entry. The group collects holiday wish lists from families in need in their town and buys gifts for the children.

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