Closet of Care: PLADS Employees Make a Difference in Local Schools
The Philanthropy Committee of the Employee Engagement Team at Aflac's Premier Life, Absence and Disability Solutions (PLADS) set out to make a difference in their communities, focusing on local initiatives. Their goal was to streamline the donation process to swiftly provide essential items to students in nearby schools facing economic hardship.
Driven by this vision, employees from PLADS locations in Connecticut and Florida united behind the cause. They identified high schools in their vicinity with a significant number of students in need and began collecting various necessities such as school supplies, hygiene products, snacks, and clothing.
This collective effort gave rise to the "Closet of Care," a resource aimed at supporting students in need. Since its inception and the initial delivery of supplies to schools in November 2022, the Philanthropy Committee has established an inventory tracking system to ensure continuous support. Through ongoing generous contributions from PLADS employees, they maintain stocked shelves in schools.
The Closet of Care initiative recognizes the importance of addressing the stress students face due to unmet basic needs, which can hinder academic performance. By discreetly providing essential items, stress levels diminish, allowing students to focus on their studies and social growth.
Emphasizing dignity and privacy, participating schools create designated spaces for supplies and reassure students that assistance is available without charge. As the partnership between PLADS and local schools strengthened, the demand for quicker and more efficient supply delivery emerged. Now, PLADS employees have access to Amazon Wish Lists for Bulkeley High School in Connecticut and Flanagan High School in Florida, enabling them to directly order and ship requested supplies to the schools from their personal devices.
The impact of the Closet of Care initiative is evident in both locations, with representatives from the Florida school system recognizing its significance by nominating Randy Olivo, a manager from PLADS, for a countywide Community Involvement Award in the School-Based Partnership Category.
To know more about how Aflac gives back to the community, click here.
Driven by this vision, employees from PLADS locations in Connecticut and Florida united behind the cause. They identified high schools in their vicinity with a significant number of students in need and began collecting various necessities such as school supplies, hygiene products, snacks, and clothing.
This collective effort gave rise to the "Closet of Care," a resource aimed at supporting students in need. Since its inception and the initial delivery of supplies to schools in November 2022, the Philanthropy Committee has established an inventory tracking system to ensure continuous support. Through ongoing generous contributions from PLADS employees, they maintain stocked shelves in schools.
The Closet of Care initiative recognizes the importance of addressing the stress students face due to unmet basic needs, which can hinder academic performance. By discreetly providing essential items, stress levels diminish, allowing students to focus on their studies and social growth.
Emphasizing dignity and privacy, participating schools create designated spaces for supplies and reassure students that assistance is available without charge. As the partnership between PLADS and local schools strengthened, the demand for quicker and more efficient supply delivery emerged. Now, PLADS employees have access to Amazon Wish Lists for Bulkeley High School in Connecticut and Flanagan High School in Florida, enabling them to directly order and ship requested supplies to the schools from their personal devices.
The impact of the Closet of Care initiative is evident in both locations, with representatives from the Florida school system recognizing its significance by nominating Randy Olivo, a manager from PLADS, for a countywide Community Involvement Award in the School-Based Partnership Category.
To know more about how Aflac gives back to the community, click here.
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