A Holiday Spirit of Giving at GAO
The holiday season is a time for giving, and we could not be more proud of all the giving our employees do—not just at the holidays but also throughout the year. So we wanted to take a moment this holiday season to celebrate and recognize those who donate their personal time and money toward charitable causes. Here’s a look at some of the giving that GAO watchdogs are doing this holiday season and beyond.
We recently honored 5 of our own who dedicate their personal time to serving their communities. These are the 2014 GAO Community Service Award Winners:
GAO’s 2014 Service Award Winners
- Barbara Galimore-Williams: For the past 10 years, Barbara has volunteered through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Emerging Leaders Group to beautify local schools and veteran facilities, prep and serve meals at DC Central Kitchen and area homeless shelters, and organize others to volunteer.
- Jean Lee: Jean is the co-leader of the Dayton area’s Red Cross Youth Program, volunteering at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center and Fisher House. She started by attending volunteer events with her children, to show—and not just tell—them about the importance of service.
- Charlene Lindsay: Through the Gwinnett County Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), Charlene provides input for the court’s decisions regarding children’s best interests. Often, these decisions involve securing stable homes for children in difficult situations.
- Amy Moran Lowe: Over the years, Amy has volunteered to teach English as a Second Language to children and adults, and has mentored undergrad and grad students through the Radcliffe Mentor Program and Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston.
- Rajneesh Kumar Verma: Raj can easily tell you how many children visit the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver every day—and how many children have yet to be reached. He has served for almost 3 years on the club’s Associate Board of Directors, and raises thousands of dollars annually to support the club’s work.
The award winners aren’t alone in their efforts. Throughout the year and at the holidays, GAO employees support several local charities near our headquarters and field offices around the country. GAO employees also participate, along with employees at many other federal agencies, in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) to raise money for eligible charities. Last year, GAO employees in HQ pledged nearly $600,000, and employees in our 11 field offices pledged nearly $240,000 to these charities. We’re well on our way to another successful campaign in 2014.
2014 CFC Fair: GAO employees learn about
various charities they can support
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