Nashville, TN-based Bandit Lites is wrapping up another year in the form of holiday gifts for local underprivileged families. Each of the company’s locations recently put up an Angel Tree in the lobby for employees who would like to help the less fortunate. The tree includes toy and clothing suggestions for foster children and local families who are unable to provide holiday gifts for their kids this year.
“It’s a great opportunity for Bandit employees to give back to their community,” explains human resources coordinator, Cori Link. “None of the employees are required to donate, but the majority of them do. It reflects positively on the type of people we have here at Bandit.”
Bandit employees also participate in local charities such as the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program. In this program, a company such as Wal-Mart or Target (among others) places a Christmas tree in a pedestrian high-traffic area. The tree is decorated in paper angel tags with the first name, gender and age of a child who will receive the gift.
Every December, Bandit employees spend one afternoon shopping at a local store for children in need. They are each given $50 provided by the company to spend on one of the children listed on the store’s Angel Tree.
Receptionist, Nancy Nichols, describes her experience, “We really wanted to get [our child] something big that he would have for a long time. We decided to get him a bike and all the accessories that come with it (helmet and kneepads).” She adds, “I think it’s awesome knowing that when he sees it, he’s going to have the biggest smile on his face.
It is so rewarding knowing that we are giving something to a child that he probably wouldn’t have been able to receive otherwise.”
Bandit CEO, Michael Strickland, says, “The act of each employee taking part in the process makes the entire event much more meaningful than simply writing a check to a charity. It actually touches the lives of all those who participate each year. You end up really getting in the Christmas Spirit by directly helping those less fortunate.”