IST’s Transformative 2024 Community Outreach Initiatives

IST's Gives Back

In 2024, IST Gives Back spearheaded four quarterly initiatives and various other acts of service. From assisting local families during holidays and empowering foster children to supporting health research, our collective efforts aimed to create positive change where it matters most. 

Q4 - The Giving Season 

The holiday season brings some of our favorite ways to connect with our community. 

We began our annual Holiday Toy Drive in October, collecting new and unwrapped gifts and essential items for families and children in the greater Atlanta Area. Until December 31st, our donated items will support the MUST Ministries Holiday Toy Shop, which helps make the Holidays a memorable, magical time for 6,000 children in need every winter. This initiative offers families facing financial challenges the opportunity to choose personalized presents for their children without the burden of breaking the bank, creating memorable moments for their families. 

Q3 - Back to School Supplies Drive 

On September 30th, #ISTGivesBack wrapped up our 2024 Back-to-School Supplies Drive in partnership with the Ticket to Dream Foundation. From book bags to crayons and binders, our team collected seven boxes of supplies to support local Atlanta foster children in their academic careers. Education is a crucial pillar of success in society, and #ISTGivesBack is especially passionate about supporting students in their educational success. Schools often rely on community support, and with the help of the Ticket to Dream Foundation, these necessary resources will support student success this academic year! 

Q2 – The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation & Great Strides 

Each year, we are proud to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's mission to find a cure for children with cystic fibrosis. From April to June, IST employees, friends, family, clients, and vendors raised money by collecting donations and participating in their city's Great Strides Walks, from California to Atlanta to New York! Our Events team worked incredibly hard to encourage maximum participation, organizing fundraising initiatives such as a Chili Cook Off, a Bake Sale, and two giveaways for a stay at Atlantis in the Bahamas and an Atlanta Weekend Getaway. Between 17 cities and 40+ employee donations, Team IST raised $21,574 total for our 2024 CF Great Strides campaign. 

Q1 - GIVEHEALTHY 

At the start of 2024, #ISTGivesBack partnered with #GiveHealthy to host a virtual fresh food drive across five cities nationwide. In 2023, 83% of American households were food insecure. 

#GiveHealthy is a digital food drive system built to upgrade food drives. Food drives are the most popular form of giving in America. 

There are two main limitations to traditional food drives: 

• Those at the highest risk of food insecurity are disproportionately high risk of diet-related diseases, such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease. These individuals could benefit the most from nutrient-dense foods. 
• Traditional food drives are usually limited to non-perishables. These items are not always unhealthy but are generally highly processed, including harmful ingredients to those living with diet-related diseases. 

These outstanding efforts wouldn't have been possible without our twenty-five donors and the leading contributing site, Atlanta, GA. In total, we raised 2,161 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Additional Efforts Throughout 2024 

• Proud Hero Sponsors of the 6th Annual Hope and Home Celebration, organized by My Sisters’ Place in Hartford, CT. 
• Providing Monthly Laptop Donations to students at the MUST Ministries Hope House. 
• Donating Extra Cystic Fibrosis #TeamIST T-Shirts to Atlanta Mission. 
• IST Employees and CEO & President Hal Blackman gathered and delivered emergency supplies for IST employees impacted by Hurricane Helene. 
• From March to May, we raised money to create over 50 care packages for Mothers staying at MUST Ministries' Hope House for Mother's Day. 
• Sponsored the "Putt for Paws" tournament at Sky Meadow CC in Nashua, NH, in partnership with the Animal Welfare Alliance Resource & Education of NH. Proceeds went towards providing low-cost neutering services, essential surgical equipment, and other programs vital to improving the welfare of animals. 
• Annual Free Red-Cross CPR Training at our Corporate Office. 
• Presenting Sponsor of the Annual Must Giving Gala. 
• Hosted a fun-filled family “Spring Fling” event at the MUST Hope House in April. 
• Hosting Office and Meeting Space for the Atlanta Police Department at Halidom 

Reflecting on this year, it's clearer than ever that the dedication of IST's extended family has the potential to significantly impact many lives and communities. As we look ahead to 2025, we are committed to expanding and enhancing our outreach efforts, with a goal of creating change and strengthening community bonds for years to come.