Thanksgiving meals with all the trimmings were loaded one by one onto a yellow Penske rental truck destined for families in need in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
<p>The food – donated by <a href="https://www.penskelogistics.com/" rel="noopener">Penske Logistics</a> and <a href="https://www.pensketruckleasing.com/" rel="noopener">Penske Truck Leasing</a> associates – was part of the Penske Adopt-A-Family Thanksgiving Day program and will be distributed by the Salvation Army of Reading.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5bc14de23a3e1fe4d658f085c4a07921" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="b7daa" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyODY3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjMxNTQ3Nn0.y-tfwASp0Pwyf7h8sFtu8KzkmGaesSlIn-crTDMYorI/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>A record 158 families were provided with holiday meals, thanks to the generosity of Penske associates. The donations were packed into more than 600 boxes, which filled the inside of a 26-foot Penske rental truck.</p><p>“Simply providing a holiday meal can change an entire family’s experience for the holidays,” said Capt. Ted Tressler, commander of the <a href="https://pa.salvationarmy.org/Reading/Home" rel="noopener">Salvation Army of Reading</a>, which assists more than 20,000 people each year and serves more than 4,500 families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.</p><p>In addition to turkeys, associates donated canned fruits and vegetables, stuffing, breakfast items, snacks and a small gift for children. This year, more than 30 departments participated.</p><p>Associates braved the chilly air on Monday to load the boxes into the truck, an effort supervised by Dharma Sivasamy, who has coordinated the associate effort.</p><p>Each year, Sivasamy has watched the number of families assisted grow, along with the donation boxes.</p><p>“I think people are interested in helping out especially, with the economy doing well,” said Sivasamy, manager of sales systems with Penske Truck Leasing. “Where there is a need, Penske associates are stepping up.”</p><p>In Reading and Berks County, the need is great. “Those families experiencing food insecurity are far more than people realize,” Tressler said.</p><p>Providing a holiday meal for a family in need extends far beyond just providing much-needed food.</p><p>“It takes it from a season of great anxiety and stress to a season of actual joy and a time when families can focus on things that really matter rather than focusing on fundamentals of life like a meal,” he said.</p><p>The heartfelt generosity of Penske’s associates helps the Salvation Army assist more families.</p><p>“It is one thing to feel compassion and it is something else to allow that experience of compassion to motivate you to action and that is what the Penske employees do,” Tressler said.</p><p>“They actually do something about it to the extent that the Salvation Army could never provide all that the Penske employees provide to those families,” he said. “It speaks to many things such as a sense of community, a desire to help and a practical compassion for other human beings.”</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p> </div>
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Penske Associates Help Families Enjoy Thanksgiving
November 25, 2014
andPenske Logistics associates banded together to donate hundreds of boxes of food to the Salvation Army of Reading that will benefit Berks County, Pa. families in need this Thanksgiving. In all, 105 families were provided with the makings of a traditional Thanksgiving meal from the turkey down to the dessert. Each family, on average, received four full boxes of donations, depending on the family size.
<p>For nearly a decade, Penske's associates – with the support of both companies – have reached deep into their own pockets to provide food, diapers, formula, small toys, coloring books, and other items for families in need as identified by the local Salvation Army.</p><p>The effort was spearheaded by Penske's <a href="http://www.uwberks.org/wwwpub/" title="United Way of Berks County">United Way</a> at Work Committee, an organization made up of about 40 associates, who donate their time to charitable groups across the region.</p><p>“We’re just fortunate to have generous coworkers who always come to the need of others,” said Rosemary Schaffer, a United Way Committee Coordinator at Penske. “No matter what the circumstances, we can always count on our associates to be generous with their money and also their time.”</p><p>The associates formed a human assembly line Tuesday morning, filling a yellow <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/" title="Penske Truck Rental">Penske rental truck</a>, with box after box of donations for the families. The donations were driven to the Salvation Army in Reading, Pa. where the families will pick them up on Wednesday.</p><p>For nearly 130 years, the Salvation Army has been serving the needs of families and individuals in the city by providing emergency assistance, permanent housing and after-school programs. The non-profit agency expects to serve 1,200 local families during Thanksgiving with the growing need among working families.</p><p>With rising costs, families are struggling to make it month-to-month so efforts like these are a blessing, according to Mindy McCormick, director of development, at the Salvation Army.</p><p>“It becomes a feeling of defeat,” McCormick said. “Our hope is this becomes a pathway of hope.”</p><p>She applauded the efforts of Penske associates and their generous donations.</p><p>“It is a huge help,” McCormick said. “This allows us to make sure they have something for Thanksgiving.”</p> <p><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a321e6b87ec9e4d5b39e155e65f2c8df" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-zkJbYO8xA?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p> <p><em>By Bernie Mixon</em></p></div>
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