3 powerful lessons from 30 years of the Jim Casey Community Service Award
Get inspired by past winners' impactful stories
Established in 1995, the Jim Casey Community Service Award honors UPS employees who embrace our long legacy of volunteerism. Named after the company’s founder, this award is one way UPS recognizes employees who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to giving back to their community.
This year marks the award’s 30th anniversary – three decades of celebrating UPSers’ commitments to doing good while delivering goods.
Here are three powerful lessons the award winners have taught us:
1. Money isn't the only resource you can invest in a community. Your time, experience and leadership can be just as valuable
Nick Snider (1995) made history as the first recipient of the Jim Casey Community Service Award. A U.S. veteran and longtime UPS employee, he used his extensive logistics experience to lead 600 UPS volunteers in supporting the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and advise President Jimmy Carter’s The Atlanta Project to empower local communities. He later founded the National Museum of Patriotism to honor those who exemplify the spirit of service.
Suzanne Richard (2007) knew firsthand the challenges that survivors of domestic violence face daily. Fueled by her past struggles, she created First Step in Ohio to provide safety, shelter and support to survivors in her community. She also established the Renaissance Foundation, a scholarship program for women facing adversity.
2. When UPSers take decisive action, they can transform lives and create lasting change.
Phil Manning (2003) believed in the power of a fresh start, founding The Welcome to America Project in Arizona to help refugees with essentials like furniture, clothing and household items as they build new lives.
James Joseph (2017) witnessed how disasters devastated communities in Louisiana, inspiring him to launch Big Brown Reaching Back, a nonprofit focused on rebuilding homes and supporting those in need.
3. Acts of service can bridge any distance, bringing hope to people near and far.
Joseph Sosa (2012) in Florida founded the Mami Dora Foundation to honor his Colombian grandmother’s legacy by providing food, medicine, books and more to children in need in her home country.
Mary Jeane Okada (2019) in Japan spearheaded disaster relief in her home country of the Philippines after Typhoon Yolanda. She led efforts to build a church and library that served as safe havens for children after the storm.
Want more inspiration? Take a closer look at how recent winners Karen Johnson (2024), Charles Ohagwu (2023), Greg Schneider (2022), Harry Kpoh (2021) and Toy Ann McCray (2020) are making lasting contributions in their communities.
Did you know? We have a long history of caring for and giving back to communities where our employees live and work.
- In 2024 alone, The UPS Foundation positively impacted over 120 million lives, and our employees volunteered over 1 million hours.
- UPS employees aim to deliver 30 million volunteer service hours by 2030. So far, we’ve served 28 million hours in our communities.
- In 2024, The UPS Foundation invested over $50 million in communities through grants, in-kind donations, sponsorships and employee contributions.
How UPS employees can give back: Beyond rolling up your sleeves to volunteer, you can donate through our internal giving platform, UPS Community Connections.