Giving Back is Year-Round at IAT

At IAT, we believe that living our values means lending a hand to those in need. Employees are encouraged to give back to the communities we call home not only during our annual Giving Week events, but all year long. In addition to our Charitable Matching Contribution Program and Volunteer Time Off, IAT employees embark on philanthropic ventures both at the office and on their own time. This year alone, the IAT family volunteered more than 1,000 hours in our communities, donated loads of food, clothing, pet supplies, cleaning supplies, and contributed more than $200,000.00 to non-profit organizations.

Giving Week

Giving Week was established as an opportunity for IAT employees to focus our collective attention company-wide on the importance of giving back and coming together as teams to support group charitable activities. This year, the week of October 7th marked IAT’s Fourth Annual Giving Week. Here are a few of the ways and organizations in which our employees gave back this year:

• Donating goods to the SPCA, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Dress for Success, InterAct and more
• A Note in the Pocket
• Habitat for Humanity- ReStore Outlets
• Mary’s Food Bank & Feed My Starving Children
• The Children’s Advocacy Center
• The Buddy Foundation
• Keep Omaha Beautiful
• Food Bank
• Scatter Joy Acres

Charitable Match Program

IAT’s three-to-one charitable matching contribution supports charitable giving by increasing the impact of employee’s dollars to the community. The company offers to make one employee contribution per year up to $600. That means if an employee contributes $200 to an organization, IAT will contribute $600 resulting in a total contribution of $800. Contributions may be made to any charitable of philanthropic organization of the employee’s choosing if they are recognized by the IRS as a not-for-profit and have 501(c) (3) status.

Volunteer Time Off

IAT provides eight hours per year during regularly scheduled work hours to volunteer for a charitable organization in the community. All full-time employees are encouraged to participate in this benefit. Although Giving Week is a popular time for employees to use VTO, employees can use VTO at any point during the calendar year with approval from a manager.

Corporate Charity Spotlight

On a corporate level, the IAT family supports two charities: United Way and Wreaths Across America. Learn more about the organizations and our history with each below:

United Way

Mission: United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.

United Way Worldwide works to advance the common good by partnering with businesses, non-profits and community stakeholders to focus on the education, income and health of those in need. The organization's goal is to provide resources to children and families to help them rival against their circumstance and thrive. Their grassroots approach allows them to create local-led solutions in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide.

Our efforts with United Way began many years ago, serving as our banner recipient during our first annual Giving Week. We have continued our philanthropic partnership since, including IAT's $25K donation to aid flood relief efforts in the Midwest earlier this year.

Wreaths Across America

Mission: Remember. Honor. Teach. ​

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that exists to help remember fallen soldiers, honor those that serve and teach American youth the value of freedom. The organization was conceived during the holidays in 1992 when wreath manufacturer Morrill Worcester had a surplus of 5,000 wreaths. After visiting Arlington National Cemetery, he decided to adorn the hallowed ground by placing a wreath on each grave to commemorate the lives of the fallen. Today, the tradition remains – starting at Arlington and extending to more than 1,600 additional locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad – leaving no grave bare.

IAT began supporting Wreaths Across America in conjunction with Transguard in 2017. Several of the volunteer motor carriers that participate in Wreaths Across America are IAT customers and their efforts are coordinated by the Truckload Carriers Association. In addition, many employees from across the IAT family have and continue to bundle up on December 14 to help lay the wreaths.