Community Impacts

The Caring Committee is an integral part of American Asphalt Company and its core values. The committee gives back to our employees and community members in need year-round through tangible acts and through prayer support. The Caring Committee, led by Office Manager Chrissy Chiaravalotti, coordinates outreach efforts and employee engagement events. Some of our recent activities are highlighted below:

Adopt-A-Family Program

Every year, the Caring Committee adopts two local families for Christmas. Requests for support come internally from employees that know a struggling family or from certain organizations such as the Women’s Shelter. When the request comes in, the Committee learns the family’s background and reaches out to get a Christmas list of needs. Sometimes the children are in foster care or have disabilities, so learning about the families’ situation ensures we purchase appropriate gifts. An email is then sent to the entire company asking for donations to help the family and everyone signs up for what they will provide so that there is no duplication in efforts.

In addition to adopting two families each year, the Caring Committee allocates contributions to nonprofit organizations supported by American Asphalt employees. In 2020, contributions were made to: The Nicole Ann Christison Memorial Scholarship Fund (in support of longtime employee Elyse Christison, whose daughter who passed away from cancer); the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, an organization that helps many children and families who are dealing with medical issues, whose families often fly in from all over the country to receive medical care at CHOP and other hospitals in the Philadelphia/SJ area; Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties, an organization that ensures children in the foster care system have a voice; Camden County Women’s Center, an organization helps women and children find safety from domestic violence; Teal Butterfly Ovarian Cancer Awareness, a nonprofit that raises awareness of ovarian cancer and was founded by Chrissy’s friend; Hammonton Cancer Foundation, a local organization that helps with cancer research; METAvivor Research and Support Inc., an organization suggested by Suzanne Farnoly, sales estimator, that helps increase awareness of advanced breast cancer and aid in research and patient support; The Saints Prison Ministry, a nonprofit chaired by CEO Bob Brown that helps inmates find their faith or restore their Christianity through sports.


Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey Outreach

American Asphalt Company is a huge supporter of the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey. Each year around the holidays multiple people on the Caring Committee get together to help decorate the RMH house where the children and families stay. RMH of SJ supports families financially by providing them a place to stay during their medical treatments.

Because of COVID-19, the Caring Committee volunteers weren’t able to decorate the RMH house, but they put baskets together for each child staying at the house. Over the summer, RMH was doing a summer raffle in which the Caring Committee came together and donated some items (including a stuffed beach bag full of summer fun items) to the raffle.

 


Supporting the Local Animal Shelter

Homeward Bound of Camden County is a local no kill animal shelter in South Jersey. Each year, American Asphalt reaches out to Homeward Bound to see what needs, such as dog/cat food, toys, bones, blankets or beds, the company can provide. This year, the Shelter needed used sheets and bedding to make the animals stay more comfortable for the winter season. The employees donated a lot of used sheets, toys, blankets, and food to help the animals during their stay.

 


Supporting Our Soldiers

At American Asphalt, we are committed to helping others internally, in our local community, and in our country. The Caring Committee recently asked employees to donate extra Halloween to send to those who serve our country and fight for our freedoms. More than 20 different bags of extra candy and new candy were sent to the soldiers. We are proud to be Americans and donating candy to those who risk their lives each day for us is just a small way that we can give back.

 

 
 


Saints Prison Ministry

A unique prison ministry that reaches inmates with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through athletics. Statistics show that the vast majority of prisoners will not attend a traditional religious program such as a chapel service or Bible study. However, inmates will gladly attend sporting events at which a gospel message is shared.

Most of the men and women that we encounter behind bars have hurting hearts and are desperate to experience Christ’s love and forgiveness. Many of them have been disowned by their families and forsaken by their friends. Please join us as we use “the universal language” of sports to win inmates for Jesus Christ.