Atlas Employees Open Arms And Wallets
Company Matches Donations To Red Cross For Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Relief
Angie Lewis, WriterATLANTA, GA — In the last several weeks, millions of people have been affected by two of the most destructive storms to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Wanting to help, nearly 100 Atlas employees from across the company’s 20 North American manufacturing plants and sales regions came together to donate over $9,500 — in increments ranging from $15 to $1,000 — for Hurricane relief to the American Red Cross, which the company rounded up to $10,000 and matched at 200 percent - $10,000 toward Irma relief and $10,000 toward Harvey relief.
“When we heard the catastrophic news, we felt compelled to offer a helping hand,†says Ken Farrish, President of Atlas Roofing Corporation. “As employees stepped up, Atlas was happy to partner with them and provide a matching donation, which allowed us to maximize our impact.â€
In total, Atlas employees and Atlas Roofing Corporation through the employee match donated $30,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with reconstruction efforts after the hurricanes devastated parts of Texas, the Caribbean, Florida and other Southeastern states.
When Harvey came ashore in late August, it was a Category 4 hurricane, killing more than 70 people and leaving more than 300,000 without power along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. The storm also displaced 30,000 residents, caused more than $70 billion in damages and is now being referred to as the worst flooding disaster in U.S. history.
Jim Pancrazio, Plant Manager in Diboll, TX, which is located about 100 miles northeast of Houston in Angelina County, says his city felt the effects of Harvey’s wrath. “People want to help others after a disaster — especially one that’s close by — but they don’t always know how to help,†he says.
While the storm is over and floodwaters are receding, life is still far from normal for those who were affected, and more storms continue to brew. In addition to housing, many people lack the basic necessities, such as water, toilet paper, toothpaste, soap and deodorant.
Through donations, the American Red Cross helps to provide shelter, clean water, hot meals and more to those in need. The non-profit organization invests an average of 91 cents of every dollar into its humanitarian services and programs, and regularly mobilizes teams of disaster relief workers — 95 percent of whom are volunteers.
“We know how bad our Houston neighbors are continuing to suffer, so our employees were quick to do what they could to help,†says Kevin Wilkie, Director of Sales Southwest in Arlington, TX. “With Atlas leading the charge, we were able to double our efforts. We’re proud that our company initiated this matching campaign to help a state where we have two manufacturing facilities.â€
After roaring across the Caribbean as a Category 5 storm, Hurricane Irma weakened some and then re-intensified to a Category 4 before making landfall at Cudjoe Key, FL, on Sept. 10. Moving up the peninsula, the storm claimed more than 30 lives and caused damage to communities on both coasts of the Sunshine State.
As of Sept. 20, the Red Cross reports that officials in the Florida Keys estimate 25 percent of homes are destroyed and 90 percent are damaged. Total damages for the region are still being assessed.
“We’re anxious to help people get back on their feet,†says Colin Hobbs, Sales Representative for Central Florida. “As a company, we stand ready to do whatever we can to aid homeowners in their repair and rebuilding efforts.â€