Easter
Sunday is commonly known as a day filled with candy, food, and family celebrations.
Members of NYCM’s Casualty Team saw an opportunity to give back to our local community and those who have served our country, a theme that is common
amongst NYCM employees. Read below, to learn more about our inspiring employees
and their willingness to serve their community.
Last
Christmas, members of our Casualty
Team came together to provide gifts to veterans at the Central New York
Veteran’s Outreach Center in Utica, NY. After a successful gift event, the
employees came together once again this year to spread Easter cheer with the
Outreach Center. The Casualty Team came up with a plan of providing warm meals and treats to the veterans.
Once
the team decided on how they wanted to give back, they started raising funds. By word of mouth amongst
employees, those funds started to come in. The efforts spread well beyond the
Casualty Team and donations came from all areas
throughout the company, as well as outside of our four walls with the help of a
local VFW.
The
West Winfield, NY VFW agreed to make the meals, and through word of mouth about
the event, donations began to come in for this
initiative through their network as well. The group was able to provide
veterans their choice of lasagna or a ham dinner with all of the trimmings. The
veterans were also given homemade treats from various NYCM employees, like carrot cake, homemade
cookies, applesauce, popcorn and even chocolate Easter Bunnies. Each meal was
presented to the individuals in a patriotic tote bag donated by NYCM that read
“Home of the Brave.” Other items were
donated toward the facility, such as a TV, nonperishable food items and clothing.
Inspiring
hope and providing care is ingrained into our culture at
NYCM. This experience was heartwarming and brought smiles and tears to all.
“What you don't see in the pictures is the heartfelt gratitude each of them
gave to us,” says Amy Deforest, a member of the Casualty Team and amongst those
who delivered the meals. “We delivered them warm meals, gifts, and told them how much we
appreciated them and all of their sacrifices.”
Past
gifting to residents at the center was not forgotten by veterans who remembered
NYCM from last Christmas, “Many of our friends at the
Outreach Center thanked us again for the Christmas gifts we had given to them
and some teared up. I want you all to know that we made their Easter a brighter
one,” said Amy.
District
Coordinator of Veterans Affairs for the Outreach Center, John E. Zygmunt who
helped the team deliver the meals wrote to Amy after the event, thanking Team
NYCM for their continued efforts and support of the veterans, "I would
like to thank you all for giving us your love and support, and mostly your love and time on this Easter that you
spent with us.” He ended his sentiment with Semper Fi, meaning always faithful.
In addition, NYCM Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer, Mike Perrino had this to say to the NYCM
employees about their efforts, “We are forever grateful for the service of the
veterans and your heartfelt consideration surely helped to express this as you
warmed their hearts with genuine care.”
“NYCM employees make differences in the
lives of people every day,” said Amy. “This Easter we could not have been
prouder to be a part of this amazing company.”
To
learn more about the Central New York Outreach Center click here. To read another story of NYCM employees giving back,
check out the link below!
