AFL Interns/Co-ops Volunteer for Local Angel Shoppe

06/12/2016

Spartanburg, SC – AFL, an international manufacturer of fiber optic cable and accessories, spread holiday cheer with District Five Family Ministries, a program of the Middle Tyger Community Center. Eight interns and co-ops volunteered at the Angel Shoppe by unloading and stocking gifts, arranging toys, clothing and electronics in respective areas and then guiding parents through the shop, helping them select gifts for their children.

"Holidays and family traditions strengthen the family and community,” explained Donna Dawkins, director of District Five Family Ministries. “Having parents who believe in themselves and children who believe in their parents helps families to flourish. Our goal is to preserve the pride and dignity of the families we serve by allowing them the pleasure of choosing their children’s gifts."  

Businesses, churches, schools, individuals and more contributed to the toy store by purchasing gifts for different age ranges. The gifts were arranged from low to medium to high price and parents were able to select a certain number of gifts from each section.

Shelley Campbell, an AFL intern from the University of Alabama studying international trade commented on her experience. “I assisted a mother of three and another mother of four by translating for them while they registered, shopped and checked out. It was great to be able to practice speaking Spanish, but even more special to see these mothers get excited about their children’s Christmas gifts.”

The volunteer project is part of AFL’s ACT (AFL Community Team) program where teams of associates gather for three to four hours providing a service for a nonprofit organization. The team leaves with a better understanding of the organization and the need in the community. Over the past few weeks, many AFL associates have participated in the program by purchasing gifts for children of all ages. 

AFL’s extensive Community Outreach Program provides grants, sponsorships, conservation initiatives, scholarships, disaster relief and more. For additional information on AFL and its community initiatives, visit www.AFLglobal.com.
 
About AFL
Founded in 1984, AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions to the energy, service provider, enterprise and industrial markets as well as several emerging markets. The company’s products are in use in over 130 countries and include fiber optic cable and hardware, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, fusion splicers and training. AFL also offers a wide variety of services supporting data center, enterprise, wireless, and outside plant applications.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, AFL has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit www.AFLglobal.com. 

Contact
Corie Culp
Community Relations Manager
AFL
864.433.5409
Corie.Culp@AFLglobal.com