One by One

While the bulk of Amway employees in the United States are at our headquarters in West Michigan, we have quite a few at our Nutrilite offices in Buena Park, California.

These employees are highly engaged in their local community, and were recently recognized for their efforts by being nominated for the Spirit of Volunteerism Awards, which acknowledges individual, group and corporate team volunteers for their dedicated service to Orange County.

Here are some of the employee activities that took place in Buena Park (Orange County) last year:

MONTHLY PLAYDATES: Hosted 8 playdates with children at a local shelter, spending quality time with more than 100 children ages 2 months to 14 years.

ANNUAL HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY: Gave their time teaching 42 children ages 5 to 17 the importance of staying fit and exercising daily.

MONTHLY COOKING EVENTS: Hosted 7 events to teach 78 teenagers basic, healthy cooking skills.

ANNUAL FOSTER FAMILY PICNIC: Set up and prepared activities for a foster family picnic, providing Amway products and game prizes.

ANNUAL SEASONS OF GIVING: Collected 340 pairs of socks and 3 barrels of warm clothing.

NUTRILITE SITE TOURS: Hosted 11 site tours, using our expertise to teach 156 children the importance of nutrition.

Thanks to all of our employees for their dedication to caring in their local communities.

We started our global review of activities at our world headquarters in Michigan. But Amway has another headquarters facility in Buena Park, California, where many of our Nutrilite products are made and where the Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health is located.

Employees in Buena Park make lasting commitments to their community partners, and find new ways to help every year.

At the Buena Park Boys & Girls Club, which was founded by Carl and Edith Rehnborg, the founders of Nutrilite, employees can often be found working with the Club members through mentoring, gardening, or helping with the board of directors.

This year, Amway employees in Buena Park gave Boys & Girls Club members the opportunity to participate in the Orange County Marathon, along with 4,100 students from local schools.

Several years ago, employees began to support the Orangewood Children’s Home, a foster care center and shelter for abused and neglected children. Employees regularly visit to provide fun activities and mentoring for children going through tough times. This year, they even helped teach about disaster response and deliver preparedness kits.

There are lots more fundraisers, holiday giving, volunteering and board service going on out west. The Nutrilite legacy of care means a shining light of generosity in the heart of Southern California.

Children love to have play dates – a time for their friends to visit and spend time having fun together.

But for those in shelters following abuse,  neglect or abandonment, it can be a sad time when visitors are few and far between.

Amway employees in southern California have been taking time to make sure children at the Orangewood Children’s Home have regular visits from their friends.

Last month, a group of volunteers spent time with children at Orangewood. They even brought earthquake preparedness kits and held an earthquake drill to teach them emergency skills.

And earlier this summer, they helped to host a family picnic and carnival over the weekend for Orangewood foster families, which included more than 600 kids and adults with food, games prizes and fun activities.

When is the last time you offered your time to play?

Thanks to Machelle Cox for sharing this story.  

You can never anticipate all of the spinoff activities that come with an Amway One by One partnership.

In Southern California, home of our Nutrilite headquarters, we’ve had a longstanding partnership with the Buena Park Boys & Girls Club. In fact, the Club was first established by Carl Rehnborg, the founder of Nutrilite.

So when Nutrilite began sponsoring the Orange County Marathon a few years ago, it was only a matter of time before our employees would find some way to include Club members.

This year, approximately 4,100 children from 65 schools participated in the Orange County Marathon Kids Run, which included many Boys & Girls Club members.

Preparation for the Kids Run began long before the event, with a school curriculum that promoted active, healthy and nutritious lifestyles. The runners trained through their school running clubs, and actually completed a marathon – one mile at a time, over several weeks. Their final mile was achieved with great fanfare during the Kids Run.

And it wasn’t just the individual accomplishments that counted. One Boys & Girls Club member was seen re-joining the race after he crossed the finish line when he noticed a struggling teammate. He put his arm around her ran with her, making sure that she too was able to finish.

Thanks to all the runners and all of the volunteers for making it a great race … and a great partnership!