Local Community Engagement

Fueling hope: A UPSer’s mission to deliver comfort and care

02-25-2026
Captain Bill Vaughan is our 2025 Jim Casey Community Service Award winner
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The day that changed everything: During a routine layover in Cologne, Germany, in 2022, UPS Capt. William “Bill” Vaughan found himself standing in a train station surrounded by heartbreak – thousands of Ukrainian families escaping the war in their home country.

As he looked closer, Bill saw children clutching their parents’ hands, arriving with nothing. In that moment, he felt the weight of their loss, and he couldn’t turn away.

Driven by compassion and a sense of duty, Bill launched Operation BackPack4Kids and leaned into the strength of the community he knew best – his UPS network.

Momentum grew quickly: In just 30 days, he raised $100,000 and rallied more than 400 UPSers to fill and distribute backpacks with small but meaningful comforts – like warm blankets, water bottles, hygiene kits and toys – that could bring a smile to a child missing home.

Today, Operation BackPack4Kids continues to deliver hope to children displaced by war, natural disasters and humanitarian crises around the world.

Because of Bill’s unwavering compassion and relentless commitment to showing up for others, UPS named him the 2025 Jim Casey Community Service Award winner – our highest honor for volunteerism.

Watch his inspiring story:

“Bill shows us compassion knows no boundaries,” said President of Social Impact and The UPS Foundation Nikki Clifton. “From Syria to Ukraine to Alaska, his service transcends borders, cultures and crises, bringing hope and comfort to families in need.”

“Operation BackPack4Kids would not exist and certainly wouldn't have been able to pass out almost 5,000 bags if not for UPS,” Bill said. “I've been astounded by the love and compassion that UPSers have not only for each other, but for our community and for the world at large.”

Get involved: Visit Operation BackPack4Kids to learn how you can support Bill’s mission. UPSers can also explore UPS Community Connections to discover more causes they care about, and The UPS Foundation will match donations 1:1 up to $1,000 per employee, per year.

Did you know?

  • For the past 30 years, The Jim Casey Community Service Award has honored UPSers like Karen Johnson, Charles Ohagwu and Harry Kpoh for embracing our legacy of volunteerism and giving back.
  • UPS has a long history of caring for communities where our employees live and work. In 2024 alone, The UPS Foundation positively impacted over 120 million lives.
  • In 2024, employees volunteered almost 1.2 million hours globally. 
  • The UPS Foundation aims to improve the well-being of 1 billion lives by 2040 with an emphasis on health and humanitarian relief, economic empowerment, local community engagement and planet protection. 

 

 

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