Company’s volunteer day helps children in need

Quickly moving down a line of food stations with bags, 75 NV Energy employees and their families spent their day off Jan. 21, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteering to provide children in need with food for the weekend.

The employees gathered at Three Square food bank early in the morning to pack shelf-stable foods for the fifth year in a row as part of the company's year-round volunteer programs.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is recognized as a national day of volunteering.

Brian Burton, CEO of Three Square, said the nonprofit delivers about 7,200 backpacks to students each week. Fifty-five percent of students in Clark County receive free or discounted food during the school year, and the organization assists with the effort. Three Square serves the students at more than 30 schools in North Las Vegas. Burton said the schools identify the 30 to 40 children most in need by counselors and teachers.

"It's a sobering thought when you think about that kind of need," Burton said.

The food bank is a big program, Burton said, costing more than $1 million a year. Because it is a non-reimbursable program, the nonprofit does not get assistance from the government, he said.

The food bank serves a large part of North Las Vegas, he added.

"A lot of the high-need ZIP codes are in this area because of the foreclosures," he said. "We do serve nearly all of the schools located in North Las Vegas." Burton added that he lives in North Las Vegas and is very aware of the need.

Tony Sanchez, a senior vice president of government and community strategy at NV Energy, said he has volunteered on this day four out of the last five years. Each of those years, Sanchez has brought his two sons, now 11 and 12 years old, too.

"For a lot of families, it's about starting a tradition," Sanchez said. "You learn early what it means to give back and be thankful for what you have and help those that are less fortunate."

The 2,900 NV Energy employees across the state contributed more than 39,500 hours of community service outside of work hours last year, Sanchez said. Two years ago, their goal was to reach 28,000 hours; then the goal was to reach 30,000. Last year, the goal was to reach 35,000, and the volunteers exceeded it.

But the bagging event at Three Square was not just about reaching a goal and numbers. For Sanchez, it was personal. He said he needed similar programs growing up, and it was less thoughtful or anonymous then.

"I'm a product of Clark County School District and needed to get free lunch, and it wasn't always as anonymous," he said. "They would make you line up in front of others. So I think this one hits home with a lot of our employees."

Sergio Mendoza, a North Las Vegas resident, was born and raised in North Las Vegas and attended Clark County schools. While he did not use the program, he said volunteering at the food bank with his son is important to him. A computer programmer with NV Energy, Mendoza said the event helps him instill the importance of volunteering in his 12-year-old son.

"It's important for him to understand that we have to give back and be stewards in the community," he said. "I want him to understand that volunteering is the backbone of community."

Giving back is so important to Mendoza that he's part of the company's volunteer committee that helps to put on events and organize the participants. He said he's very proud that the employees keep outdoing their volunteer goals.

Burton said that last year, volunteers donated 86,000 hours of their time or the equivalent of 41 full-time staff members.

"We would not be able to push 25 million pounds of food it if weren't for our volunteers," Burton said.

He said the organization is now transitioning from being a startup to worrying about its long-term sustainability.

Three Square, 4190 N. Pecos Road, is always looking for more volunteers. For more information, call Patti Johnson at 702-644-3663.

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Laura Phelps at lphelps@viewnews.com or 702-477-3839.