2024 NWS Autumn of Service

2018 (September 30 - October 6)
2019 (September 29 - October 5)
2020 (September 1 - November 30)
2021 (September 1 - November 30)
2022 (September 1 - November 30)
2023 (September 1 - November 30)

The staffs of NWS Boston and the Northeast RFC collected 97 pounds of food to donate to a local food pantry during the month of September.

Our office-wide volunteer efforts and virtual food drive have come to a close. We went bigger than any year before to meet the increasing need for community service in our area, and I would argue we totally delivered. Here are the results:

On October 5, three NWS employees donated blood with Vitalant. The donations were whole blood and double red. Daily personal emergencies and ongoing medical needs of thousands of patients require a constant and ready blood supply. It’s the blood already on hospital shelves that saves lives. In the face of the ongoing national blood shortage, our donations become the ultimate pay-it-forward moment.

On October 12, three NWS employees and 1 family member volunteered time to work the food bank lines with Kelly Memorial Food Pantry. Volunteers worked to sort food, open boxes, and distribute to people in line. The demand for assistance and number of food insecure people in El Paso was shocking; the line stretched down the block for several hours. Our volunteer time with local food banks works to make El Paso a community where no one goes to bed hungry.

   

On October 18, one NWS employee worked with the Potters’ Guild of Las Cruces to conduct the annual Empty Bowls community service project. Funds raised help feed the hungry in the Las Cruces area. The Potters' Guild set a lofty monetary goal for El Caldito and smashed records! Early totals show more than an estimated $45,000 was raised at the recent 32nd Empty Bowls event held Friday, October 18, 2024. Over 1,100 handmade bowls were sold. 100% of the proceeds go to help El Caldito Soup Kitchen.

During October, their staff donated $325 in monetary donations (2,275 meals for local families) directly to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger. These donations have gone to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, which will be used for meal prep and food delivery to families and individuals in need across the borderland. EPFH currently serves 200,000 food insecure people and works with 132 partner agencies including pantries, churches, schools, soup kitchens, and shelters. In 2023, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger distributed 106.2 million pounds of food across El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson Counties.

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger is now ranked 3rd in the nation in food distribution. Our donations help prevent numerous families and refugees in the borderland from going hungry, and I am very thankful to live in a place that supports those most in need. We, including myself, often take food, health, and shelter for granted. Doing what we can to help those in need is just another aspect of our office's commitment to protecting lives and property.

Through early November, the NWS Green Bay, WI staff is hosting a food/personal item drive.

On October 28, they just concluded our 3rd and final Adopt-a-Highway clean up of 2024.

We will be participating in the adopt-a-family program later in November and early December as well. 

During September, NWS Fort Worth/Dallas along with the West Gulf RFC, and Fort Worth CWSU held a food drive. There was a challenge to collect twice as much food as last year. ZFW got some help from some FAA folks, and FWD/WGRFC kicked up their donations several notches. The challenge was accepted, and the final tally was nearly FOUR times (a total fo 444 lbs) as much as last year! 

On September 7, WAFER collected some food and $170 in monetary donations at their open house. With these monetary donations, they were able to purchase $530 in food. 

On November 7, 7 members of the La Crosse WFO recently participated in a joint fund raiser and team building activity by building pinewood derby cars and racing them at a local business hosting the event. Nearly 50 cars were entered, and NWS team members advanced through several of the heats. Each participant was given a pinewood block and had to build their own car for racing, with all proceeds going to local Scout groups. Staff and their family members were involved in the building and racing process.
From mid-November to mid-December, the staff will be collecting food for WAFER. During their 12 food drives since 2013, a total of 1,354 lbs and $3,853 have been donated to WAFER. In addition to this, one of their staff members and his wife volunteer regularly at WAFER.
For the second consecutive year, they are collecting pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, MN. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is a non-profit organization supporting families around the world helping them access medical care and resources when their child is very sick, including a place to stay, meals, and so much more. Watch this video to learn more about how RMHC Rochester serves their families. While collecting pop tabs seems like such a small way to make a difference, each year $10,000 to $15,000 is raised for the 70-room Ronald McDonald House in Rochester exclusively through pop tab donations.

One of their staff members is currently knitting hats for their 2 local neonatal units. Since 2009, he has knitted and donated 5,332 hats for neonatal units, domestic abuse shelters, cancer hospitals, and the Minnesota Masonic Children Masonic Hospital. These hats were distributed in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

During December, the office is planning on making the holiday brighter for a local family by buying Christmas gifts for them. This was part of the La Crosse Family & Children's Center's Holiday Giving Program.

On Saturday, October 5th, 2 people from NWS Louisville, KY and 1 family member participated in the International Pilot's Association Charity 5K at Bowman Fest at Bowman Airfield on October 5th. This event benefits Kosair charities for pediatric neurology.

During the month of October, the Riverton Weather Forecast Office collected 265 lbs of canned goods, pasta and rice, baby food, and other miscellaneous people food items for the local "Foundations for Nations" Food Pantry. They are a ministry for the Wind River Indian Reservation. We also collected dog and cat food, along with cleaning supplies and dog toys for the local "Paws for Life Animal Shelter". We timed the drive with the the case-lot sale at our local grocery store, which led to a terrific amount of donations.