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Employees in Fairfield, Calif., volunteer to collect, sort and repurpose discarded crayons for kids
FAIRFIELD, Calif., January 24, 2018 – Employees from CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, are collecting broken, unwanted crayons to be melted down, remolded into new packs, and donated to children in hospitals by The Crayon Initiative, a California-based nonprofit.
Nearly 100 employees will volunteer in a crayon-sorting and recycling event Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The event will take place at the CSAA Insurance Group Operations Center, 5251 Business Center Drive, Fairfield, California. This is the first of a series of volunteer events with The Crayon Initiative that CSAA Insurance Group employees will participate in nationwide.
“The Crayon Initiative’s altruistic mission very much aligns with our company’s values and we are excited to partner with them again,” said Volunteer Manager Roger Hancock. “We recognize the importance of giving back to our communities and believe we have a responsibility to support the communities where AAA members live and work.”
The Crayon Initiative, established in 2014, collects discarded crayons from restaurants and other sources, remanufactures them and provides new packs to hospital pediatric wards. Crayons offer hospitalized children a creative outlet for self-expression, which can help them cope with their illnesses, alleviate feelings of anxiety, and contribute to a sense of normalcy.
“The work we do has a significant impact on local communities, and we are excited to visit Fairfield,” said Bryan Ware, founder of The Crayon Initiative. “Our crayon recycling efforts help ensure that children have the tools they need to enjoy the healthful benefits of art and creativity, while reducing waste in landfills.”
Unwanted crayons collected by The Crayon Initiative also reduce negative impacts on the environment. Crayons are not biodegradable and create a waxy sludge that may not break down for centuries. To date, The Crayon Initiative has diverted 150,000 pounds of crayons destined for landfills.
About The Crayon Initiative
The Crayon Initiative is a Northern California based-nonprofit devoted to promoting the arts for children by providing them access to the resources they need. We believe that in order to grow and learn, children need to have the freedom to be creative and express themselves through art. The Crayon Initiative organizes crayon collections that accept unwanted crayons, remanufacture them, and provide them to hospitals that are caring for our kids. For more information, visit www.thecrayoninitiative.org.
About CSAA Insurance Group
CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer, offers automobile, homeowners and other personal lines of insurance to AAA members through AAA clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1914, the company has been rated “A” or better by A.M. Best for 90 years, and is one of the top personal lines property casualty insurance groups in the United States, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The company has been repeatedly named one of the 50 most community-minded companies in America by Points of Light.
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