Getting to Know CES Cares
You may have seen the CES Cares heart logo pinned to one of our stories or read about the company’s charity and relief efforts taking place under the CES Cares umbrella. City Electric Supply is very proud of our social initiatives, but we’ve never really sat down and told our employees exactly what CES Cares is and how you can help.
CES Cares started three years ago, simply as an idea — an idea that was very close to Karen Gray’s heart. Now the Social Impact Manager for CES Cares, Karen previously worked in graphic design and social media. The team needed a logo for the now-annual Breast Cancer Campaign, and the CES Cares heart badge you see today was born. They had the idea that it shouldn’t stop with just this charity and this logo could be used to do even more good.
“We realized that logo could be an umbrella for all of the CES charity projects,” said Gray. “And now, thanks to the generosity of our company’s leadership, we have grown into a companywide organization, donating time and money to multiple charities across the country.”
So, what is CES Cares exactly?
CES Cares is our program to show we’re plugged into our communities. It’s the social impact division of City Electric Supply, created to serve as an umbrella for all the philanthropic, charitable, and volunteer efforts in which our employees participate.
What has CES Cares accomplished?
Since starting in 2016, CES Cares has made $1.1M in charitable donations, donated 3,000 backpacks to the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center for the back-to-school program, and founded the Employee Disaster Relief Fund. CES Cares has also partnered locally with North Texas Food Bank, The Bridge Homeless Shelter, Dallas Children’s Medical Center, and Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, donating more than $200,000 among the four organizations.
Nationally, we are partnered with UNICEF, The Red Cross, and Carry the Load, and we have committed $135,000 to these charities.
Employee Disaster Relief Fund
The CES Cares Disaster Relief Fund was created to help employees who are facing financial hardship immediately after a natural disaster or an unforeseen personal hardship. The fund relies primarily on individual donations from employees and support from City Electric Supply. Every contribution helps, ultimately providing a tax-free grant for a fellow employee in need when they are facing the unexpected.
How YOU can get involved
CES Cares is here to partner with any CES employee’s charity organization, fundraiser, volunteer event, or any social impact or cause. We can design flyers and supply CES Cares t-shirts for your charity golf tournament or volunteer events. All you have to do is reach out to CES Marketing, and they’ll help you figure out a plan to help you reach your goals.
The Future of CES Cares
CES Cares is teaming up with Benevity to make giving back even easier. Benevity is the global leader in corporate social responsibility, including online giving, matching, volunteering, and community investment. You’ll be able to go online and find ways to help CES provide a positive social impact in your local communities and around the world.
“Volunteering offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around you,” Gray said. “It can also provide an opportunity to develop new skills or showcase your abilities as a leader. On a personal level, giving back always leaves me with a sense of gratitude and fulfillment.”
What started as something so simple has turned into a big point of pride for CES. We love giving back and helping our employees give their time to causes they cherish. We hope you’ll get involved with CES Cares and help with charity and volunteer efforts in your communities or the world over.