Tomago Aluminium employees are showing the true spirit of Christmas by donating their company provided hot Christmas lunch to charity.
Thanks to the generosity of 79 employees working at the smelter on Christmas Day, local charity Soul Hub this week received a $4,000 donation.
Tomago Aluminium Production Operator Steve Baker is one of the employees who is forgoing his Christmas lunch. He presented the cheque to Soul Hub General Manager Matt Ortiger on behalf of his colleagues.
Mr Baker said giving up Christmas lunch is a simple thing to do when so many people in the community are struggling and finding it difficult to get help.
“Soul Hub is a great cause,” Mr Baker said.
“I love that they are feeding and helping people to more easily access the help they need,” he said.
IMAGE Matt Ortiga from Soul Hub (right), Tomago Aluminium’s Steve Baker (second from right) and Soul Hub volunteers with a donation cheque.
Mr Ortiger said the funds will go towards operational expenses, including food, cleaning supplies and office support, to help the most vulnerable in the Hunter community.
“As we do not receive government funding, every business and community donation makes a big difference to us and those we serve,” Mr Ortiger said.
“Thanks to Tomago Aluminium employees we can keep serving up almost 1,000 meals to around 500 guests each week,” he said.
“We also help guests to access services including haircuts, laundry as well as legal, medical and other support services. Last year we provided almost 6,000 hampers, more than 6,500 personal hygiene items and did 276 loads of laundry.”
“Soul Hub is here to offer sustenance, a warm and safe place, a friendly face, and many other types of essential support. Most importantly we deliver hope – hope that people care and that lives can heal.”
Tomago Aluminium Chief Financial Officer Andrew Newman said the initiative is one of three annual Tomago Aluminium Christmas traditions.
Mr Newman said some employees have donated their Christmas ham the company gives them to Soul Hub or Oz Harvest. A giant trailer load of employee donated Christmas gifts has been delivered to local charity Survivors R Us to make Christmas brighter for survivors of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness.
“The number of employees participating in our Christmas giving initiatives is growing, which means more people will benefit from increased donations,” Mr Newman said.
“Last year, our Christmas lunch initiative provided $3,250 for people experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness,” he said.
“Our company and employees have a strong tradition and culture of supporting the community in which we live and work through a range of sponsorships and charity donations. Over the past five years, Tomago employees and the company have donated more than $1 million to local charities through our Workplace Giving program.”
“Christmas is a time of giving and thinking of others. We are living our company values – teamwork, achieve and care.”
IMAGE Soul Hub Volunteers (left) and Matt Ortiger (right) receiving Christmas ham donation from Steve Baker on behalf of Tomago Aluminium
