The Longaberger Co.’s community service reach goes well beyond the basket that its employees work in. With about 1,000 employees in the Central Ohio area, the culture of giving back is woven throughout the entire organization. Under the leadership of CEO Tami Longaberger, the company and its employees have a strong belief in supporting and giving back, not just to the local community but also on a national scale and through the engagement of its independent home consultants.
One of the ways that Longaberger employees have given back is through Horizon of Hope, a nationwide campaign to raise money for breast cancer research and education initiatives undertaken by the American Cancer Society. This program was actually started by Longaberger herself along with Dr. Robert Smith, the director of cancer screening for the American Cancer Society’s national office in Atlanta. As a result of its efforts with this program, the company has been recognized twice with the prestigious American Cancer Society Corporate Impact Award.
Another way Longaberger is making a difference is through the NFL Crucial Catch program. During October, the NFL, its teams and players support Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink attire and raising money for breast cancer initiatives. Longaberger is among the companies that partner with the NFL on this campaign, and it does so by crafting special baskets with pink accents, pink ribbons and the official NFL logo on them. These are then placed in the locker rooms of all the NFL teams, and they’re used to hold items that players donate for fundraising efforts, such as pink gloves and other attire. The items, along with the Longaberger baskets, are then auctioned off at the close of the campaign, with proceeds going to breast cancer research and education.
The Longaberger family also established its foundation in 1997, which has supported many projects throughout the years that have assisted those who are less fortunate from food banks to educational grants to public libraries and other initiatives. On top of the efforts by the foundation, Longaberger employees made 72 care packages to send overseas to U.S. military troops in 2009, and they also collected 132 cell phones to be donated to soldiers so they can stay in touch with loved ones while overseas.
How to reach: The Longaberger Co., (740) 322-5000 or www.longaberger.com
