APT is committed to a corporate culture of helping those in need. Every year, employees nominate non-profit organizations in their communities to receive financial support from funds donated by our employee-owners. This fund is managed by a volunteer committee, which also organizes group volunteer activities and collection drives throughout the year.
Corporate Giving Fund Mission Statement
“The APT Research, Inc., Corporate Giving Fund Charter endeavors to constructively influence its employee-owners’ local communities by providing financial support to non-profit organizations, through facilitation of a generous corporate culture committed to helping those in need.”
Background
In 2014, APT began partnering with the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville to establish a fund to “give back” to our local communities. The Community Foundation handles all of the administrative details and issues grants to the charities APT selects. Over the past few years, our funds have helped rebuild an inner city neighborhood, enabled high school students to visit colleges, and supported local rescue missions. Occasionally, we disperse funds in times of emergency situations (ex., tornado, hurricane, etc.).
In addition to giving funds, we also donate our time to improve our communities. APT sponsors the Adopt-A-Mile project by picking up trash on the mile around our HQ building (Research and Corporate Drive). APT volunteers have also read to elementary school children, participated in Bike MS events, and picked vegetables at the CASA garden.
Corporate Giving Fund Donations for 2024
Harmony Farms uses therapeutic horseback riding to teach riding skills to individuals with a diversity of disabilities. Therapeutic riding is beneficial for all ages for those that present a wide range of cognitive, physical, and/or emotional conditions. At Harmony Farms, we emphasize ability - not disability. Responding to the diverse needs of those with disabilities for over 30 years, Harmony Farms, with Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, services 60 riders a week with a waiting list. As a not-for-profit charity, we are dependent upon the support of the community and local businesses. Our funding is primarily through donations, grants, rider fees, and fundraising events.
The Children's Hunger Project
We Are Ensuring Local Children are Fed on Weekends
For hungry children, school is more than just a classroom, it’s a source of food. Help us ensure that children are also fed on weekends and during school breaks. TCHP assists during summers at locations that provide food to children, and we partner with United Way of Brevard for the Summer Feed & Read program.
Many organizations have federal and state funding. We rely on the generosity of corporations, civic groups, faith-based organizations, and individuals, as well as our wonderful volunteers who prep, pack, and distribute all of the backpack food to the schools.
United Way Asheville and Buncombe County. In the wake of Hurricane Helene's destruction, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (UWABC) is working alongside our valued partners to help our community recover and rebuild. Experts specializing in natural disasters tell us recovery efforts will take at least a decade. This organization and its staff are 100% committed to this endeavor.
APT Huntsville made a donation to the Greater Huntsville Humane Society, a no-kill shelter located in Huntsville, AL. The shelter supports the humane care and treatment of all animals and provides adoption services to homeless and unwanted animals. Their mission is to use rescue, training, adoption, education, and advocacy to ensure the humane treatment and welfare of all animals.
APT Huntsville made a donation to the Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama. Their mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to realize their true potential.
APT Huntsville made a donation to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital who is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude provides cutting-edge treatment at no cost to families.
The Huntsville Concert Band is a community band that played its inaugural concert in April 1964. The Band is a community of volunteers with a wide range of musical and professional skills and experience. The Music Director and all members are volunteers. Music teachers play alongside students who are just beginning their musical careers as well as retired rocket scientists who haven’t played since high school.
Corporate Giving Fund Donations for 2023
Harmony Farms uses therapeutic horseback riding to teach riding skills to individuals with a diversity of disabilities. Therapeutic riding is beneficial for all all ages for those that present a wide range of cognitive, physical, and/or emotional conditions. "At Harmony Farms, we emphasize ability - not disability." Responding to the diverse needs of those with disabilities for over 30 years, Harmony Farms, with Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, services 60 riders a week with a waiting list. As a not-for-profit charity, we are dependent upon the support of the community and local businesses. Our funding is primarily through donations, grants, rider fees, and fundraising events.
Kudos to Terry Edwards – Launch Services SMAE 3, for heading up our Aero APT Giving Fund Committee, and making sure the giving fund distributions were handled professionally.
The Children's Hunger Project
We Are Ensuring Local Children are Fed on Weekends
For hungry children, school is more than just a classroom, it’s a source of food. Help us ensure that children are also fed on weekends and during school breaks. TCHP assists during summers at locations that provide food to children, and we partner with United Way of Brevard for the Summer Feed & Read program.
Many organizations have federal and state funding. We rely on the generosity of corporations, civic groups, faith-based organizations, and individuals, as well as our wonderful volunteers who prep, pack, and distribute all of the backpack food to the schools.
Friends of Rescue (FOR) is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non-breed specific dog and cat rescue. All of their animals are in foster homes in the Huntsville, AL area – not in cages. They are up to date on all vaccines, spray/neutered, and micro-chipped. Their goal is to help end the suffering of homeless or unwanted animals in North Alabama by providing them quality medical care, interactive foster care in a home environment, training, and committed forever homes.
APT Huntsville made a donation to the Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama. Their mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us the most to realize their true potential.
The Livin’ Room
is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) organization. Our objective is inclusion. The Livin’ Room is a local 100% volunteer service center where those with needs are honored and aided in a caring, neighborhood-like way. Our facility at 2820 Governor’s drive is at a crossroads of a community with needs and a new generation of volunteers. As important as it is to help those in need, we believe developing a new generation of volunteers is also vital to our community. We connect caring people with specific local service and resource needs to help our neighbors. We work with neighborhood children, veterans, parent support groups, the homeless as well as provide neighborhood life-skill training. We are partnered with local government through the Huntsville Housing Authority and work with numerous local nonprofits.
The Huntsville Concert Band is a community band that played its inaugural concert in April 1964. The Band is a community of volunteers with a wide range of musical and professional skills and experience. The Music Director and all members are volunteers. Music teachers play alongside students who are just beginning their musical careers as well as retired rocket scientists who haven’t played since high school.
Heart Walk 2022
Saturday, May 14th, the Huntsville Heart Walk 2022 event was held, and it was a huge success! I want to say thank you to all who donated, participated, and supported our cause to raise funds to support the American Heart Association. Together, we raised $9,924.44 and had a great turn out! You all have made a huge difference in others’ lives to care for those with heart disease.
Leadership Greater Huntsville #35 and the North Alabama Foster Closet Fundraiser
Photo Courtesy of Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau
APT is supporting the “Igniters” of Leadership Greater Huntsville (L-35 Small Group). The Igniters have partnered with North Alabama Foster Closet for a project to create a day of ‘normalcy’ and community for over 200 foster/kinship/adoptive families in North Alabama by attending either the April 16th Rocket City Trash Panda Baseball Game or Ultimate Field Trip at the US Space and Rocket Center.
In order to make these events a reality, the Igniters are counting on the generosity and spirit of charitable giving that is appreciated throughout the Greater Huntsville Area. All donations are tax-deductible as permitted with gifts made to a 501(c)(3) organization. All proceeds raised beyond our project costs, (estimated at $20,000.00), will be donated directly to North Alabama Foster Closet. Sponsorships are requested in monetary increments of $500.00, $1,000.00, $1,500.00, $2500.00 or $5000.00, however contributions of any dollar amount would be graciously accepted and helpful to our cause. Please make checks payable to: Fostering Connections, dba North Alabama Foster Closet with a note that it is for the Igniters project.
To learn more, please visit:
It is groups like this that strengthen our community!
New Life Mission Donation
In 2021, Florida APT employees voted to share giving funds between two organizations.
Club Esteem
Vision – Inspiring kids in our community to embrace and excel in education by providing individualized tutoring and mentorship, guiding them to becoming compassionate, college and career-ready leaders.
https://clubesteem.org/who-we-are/#communityimpact
Brian Gloade presenting check to Ellena Little, Executive Director of Club Esteem
New Life Mission
Giving NEW LIFE to homeless women with children.
https://newlife-mission.org/
Florida Giving Fund check presentation at New Life Mission facility in Melbourne FL. Photo Stacia Glavis (right) New Life Mission Founder and SA-F Joshua Oppenheim Giving Fund POC.
From New Life Mission:
Thank you for your gift of $1500 to help give NEW LIFE to homeless women with children!
At New Life Mission, we are on the frontlines everyday hearing from moms and their children who are experiencing homelessness. The need is growing here in Brevard County by the day! Moms and children are living in motels due to evictions; in cars due to loss of income; and on the streets due to hard times that have fallen upon them. Worst of all, they have lost hope.
BECAUSE OF YOU… HOPE IS NOT LOST! Your gift is restoring lives and helping people who have no where else to turn. Because of your giving, we stand ready to help them by providing a program that teaches valuable life skills, provides access to housing, healthcare and education and so much more.
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Brevard Buddy Walk for Downs Syndrome
APT was a proud Silver Sponsor ($500) for the 2021 Brevard Buddy Walk® for the National Downs Syndrome Society® and the APT team raised another $475 so far. Thanks to Team Captain Judy Lindholm and our KSC employee owners!
For more info or photos: https://www.ds-stride.org/brevardbuddywalk/Event-Day-Information
Brevard Buddy Walk
APT is proud to have supported this year’s 18TH Annual Brevard Buddy Walk®! The primary goal of this event is to promote acceptance and inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome living in Brevard county as well as to celebrate their many abilities.
It was a completely different kind of day and event than what any of us expected this year. But thanks to our community, families and partners like YOU, this year’s event was one of our best ever, filled with love and celebration!
Hope you will view our virtual event HERE. And please, feel free to share it with your employees and customers so that they know what WE know—you are an amazing community supporter!
With our thanks and gratitude from all the individuals and families you have helped support,
Amy Van Bergen, Down Syndrome Association of Brevard (formerly FEDS)
VirtualBuddyWalk 2020 from Omni Productions on Vimeo.
February Giving Committee Update
In February, APT supported a canned food drive and the “Saving Generations” project, collecting items to install energy efficient upgrades for low-income families. The project estimates that most homes can save 20% on monthly utility bills through the application of basic energy efficient upgrades. APT helped by collecting Energy Star LED Light Bulbs for Saving Generations energy efficiency kits.
APT was honored to attend the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year luncheon. The Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama Youth of the Year is their premier youth leadership recognition program, designed to foster a new generation of leaders, fully prepared to live, serve, and make an impact in their communities around the world. A group from APT attended the award luncheon and APT’s own Saralyn Dwyer served as a judge for the ceremony.
A small group from APT spent one evening after work helping with projects at the Boys & Girls Club Cavalry STEM Lab. APT helped put together tables, hang white boards and storage shelves, and paint the bathroom. The new lab will give kids the chance to access technology in tangible ways – complete with 3D printers, virtual reality, drones, robotics and tablets. The lab will allow students to see themselves working with this equipment in the future as STEM professionals.
Brevard Rescue Mission Donation
The APT Space Division Giving Committee chair, Cara Norwood, presented the 2019 check to Stacia Glavas, Brevard Rescue Mission, CEO/ Founder on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The Brevard Rescue Mission supports women and children with housing, food, and education.
