For the last two years, Lesley Jackson, Operations Supervisor with Twin Transit has been an integral part of the team. Every Monday, she sends out a motivational quote to start the week off with an upbeat note. Her positivity is appreciated by her coworkers – and so is her creativity. When Jackson decided to coordinate an inter-office jacket drive, the Twin Transit team was onboard.
The idea came from Jackson’s friend, a small business owner in California. “It’s something he does every year and I thought, we have all these employees, so why not do a jacket drive too?” Jackson said.
The response from Twin Transit’s staff was remarkable. The entire team went through their closets and donated over 70 good quality coats – plus hats, scarves and gloves too. “They were excited,” said Jackson. “I wanted to do it in January because after Christmas and the New Year, everyone is cleaning out their closets.”
A jacket drive is a simple but impactful thing any business or agency can do. “I did it for a month-long window. I literally just put a box out and we filled it up,” said Jackson. “It didn’t take a lot of manpower but there was a big outcome.”
After washing all the jackets, Jackson delivered the adult coats to the Lewis County Gospel Mission. There, food and clothing are distributed to those who often live an unsheltered life. “They were really excited because they were almost out of jackets and we filled them back up,” Jackson said. “They were appreciative because in January and February, they are out of donations and it’s still really cold outside.”
She then delivered the children’s jackets to Centralia’s Immanuel Lutheran Church for their Kid Kloset program, which is an ongoing effort to provide for kids in need. The church members were overjoyed and thankful they didn’t have to take the time to wash everything. “They were ecstatic that I chose them,” said Jackson.“I chose them because they are open all year round and they help any kids in the area that need it.”
With a simple idea, a little help from her coworkers and a positive attitude, Jackson made a difference for community members in Lewis County. It’s a perfect example of how simple giving back can be. Plus, it creates positive feelings all around.
“I love working at Twin Transit,” said Jackson. “I worked in the medical field prior to this and I was tired of it. This is refreshing and fun. I love all the people that I work with because they all have positive attitudes.”
Sponsored
