We have several Christmas traditions here at HSI.  Most seem to include snacks or food of some kind.  There’s one that does not but is always a favorite.  Each year, we work with the Chickasha Public Schools to adopt families struggling to make it through, let alone put together a great Christmas for their children.  That is where our employees come in.

The families the school system recommends for us are always hard-working people with extenuating circumstances.  These are families just like ours, but with some unfortunate situation.  They are already doing all within their power to support their family, which allows us to come in and be an extra blessing.

Each year, through the assistance of the school teachers and administrators, we receive a list of things the children want for Christmas.  Each item is listed on a tag and placed in our break room.  As soon as they are posted, they quickly disappear as individuals and small groups grab them with plans to buy the item(s) listed.  Employees buy the items and bring the back to our HR department that sorts them by family.  In addition to the gifts from the wish list, there always seems to be just enough money left over to buy essentials such as coats, toiletries, and the occasional gift card to be used at their discretion.  This multitude of gifts is then presented to the school staff during an all-staff meeting one morning in December.

One reason this tradition is always so special to our company is that it truly is the employees themselves that make it happen.  The departments will do small fundraisers all year to collect money for our Christmas families.  Individual employees grab tags and buy the gifts.  Other employees donate cash for necessities.  HR management coordinates, but the money comes from employees themselves, out of their own hard-earned wages.  This is not a management initiative where the company commits X amount out of corporate proceeds.  There are some charitable gifts given in that manner, but not this one.  The employees themselves choose to save and donate to this worthy cause.  It is this collective team effort that makes this tradition special.  This is HSI coming together as a family, to benefit other families during the Holidays.