Industry players give back to their communities

Even during the dog days of summer, material handling and logistics companies continue to donate their time, money, and services to nonprofit organizations. Here are just a few recent examples:

• For the fourth consecutive year, Kiva Systems has hosted the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Women's Technology Program (WTP). The program provides a rigorous academic experience for female high school students who want to explore engineering through hands-on classes, labs, and team-based projects. In July, more than 40 young women from WTP visited Kiva's headquarters, where they learned about the company's robotic technology and watched a demonstration. For more information about the MIT Women's Technology Program, go to http://wtp.mit.edu.
• Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A. Inc. (TMHU) is partnering with its network of Toyota Industrial Equipment (TIE) dealers to expand its "Giving Veterans a Lift" program. For every veteran hired as a service technician by a TIE dealer in 2012, TMHU will match a dealer's donation (up to $500) to Hire Heroes USA, in honor of the newly hired veteran. Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating job opportunities for U.S. military transitioning service members, veterans, and their spouses. For more information about Toyota's program, go to www.toyotalifttech.com. To learn about Hire Heroes USA, go to www.hireheroesusa.org.
• Cargo Services Inc., an Indiana-based global freight forwarder, has signed on for its fifth year as campaign title sponsor for Indiana Books for Youth. Run by the Indiana Department of Child Services and Indianapolis Colts football team, the campaign provides foster children statewide with backpacks filled with age-appropriate books. The 2012 campaign kickoff was held at Cargo Services client company Haynes International in Kokomo, Ind. Representatives from the Colts franchise joined company representatives to distribute backpacks to foster children from the area. During the event, foster children and their families also visited the Colts in Motion traveling museum, got autographs from Colts cheerleaders, and took pictures with the Super Bowl Trophy. Visit www.colts.com/booksforyouth for information about the program.