“It was really nice to be able to work together as a team while serving the community,” said APX Alarm Houston Sales Manager, Matt Stevenson. “It reminded us what we’re doing in Houston for the summer: trying to protect families and secure their futures.”

His Place Child Center is an early childhood program located in Houston’s East End that started in 1991.  In 2002, the center was selected as one of the original 13 charter centers to participate in the United Way Bright Beginnings Initiative, a program to improve the quality of care for children.

In 2005, they became a nationally accredited center; less than 10% of the centers in the nation are nationally accredited.  One of their priorities is to serve children who are economically and/or educationally disadvantaged.  For the last few years, they have partnered to offer Public Pre-K to those children. 

Over the years, the school has exhibited a proven track record of success for children and has received media coverage in the newspapers as well as television.  Our greatest reward is making a difference in the lives of children.  His Place Child Center is thankful for the help they have received that allows them to empower children for success at school, at home, and in our communities.The painting was done by APX helped to provide an inviting, clean, attractive environment for the children they serve.

The APX Calgary sales team were given the responsibility of placing the luminaries (bags with candles inside) on a hill spelling out the word HOPE for participants of the race.
Luminaries are special candles that are placed in bags and carry the names of cancer survivors and loved ones lost. In a moving ceremony after sunset, luminaries placed around the track are lit In Honour of cancer survivors and In memory of those who have lost the battle against cancer.

“Everyone loved the creativity of the guys and totally appreciated our help,” said APX Calgary SM, Ryan Anderson. “The reps and our technicians had a lot of fun together and enjoyed the experience.”

A friend of mine emailed me several weeks earlier inquiring about donations for a school in the Congo that is in desperate need of monetary support, primarily for a few computers. He described the school and students as follows:

The school is an L-shaped building with open windows and doors.  It houses K thru 12th grade students, and is on supplemental electricity from the government so there are times when it’s run by generator.

The students are very proud of what they have in terms of school necessities and live for learning.  The school currently has one extremely old computer for all of them.

When I assured him APX could help in some fashion, he invited me over to deliver the computers to the school personally.  After weeks of Visa approval and malaria shots I was on my way.

It was a trip I won’t soon forget. We are blessed abundantly as Americans, and are even more blessed that we can be a part of helping those with needs.

Kurt Hale

APX Alarm has been a corporate partner with Sunset View Elementary since 2009 but this fundraiser provided an opportunity to assists kids in need throughout the entire school district.  With restricted or dwindling budget funding, many of the programs would have to be curtailed or discontinued without corporate or private financing.  The funds raised from the auction will be used towards purchasing school materials including; art supplies, homework help, choir and ballroom dance classes.  A number of schools in the district provide specialty classes, such as iMovie, science and sewing training.  After school programs are especially helpful since they provide young students a place to go for additional educational programs in a safe and positive atmosphere.                                                               

Some of the top baskets auctioned off included an autographed jersey from a member of the Utah Jazz, trip to Mexico, a private football camp with BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall and many other generous corporate gifts.  The school district wishes to thank APX Alarm for their continued support.

To kick off the incentive program, students visited with APX Alarm senior executives and toured the new facility including the dining room and conference center.  APX Alarm is offering to reward students a field trip once a month to visit corporate headquarters, eat a snack, play games in the gym and work on their homework in the 3^rd floor library.

Josh Houser asked the kids if anyone had ever told them they were not good enough or they could not pursue their goals because of who they are.  Sadly, nearly all the kids raised their hands.  Josh then enthusiastically shared his belief that all things are possible and the importance of doing well in school.

Last fall, APX Alarm donated $10,000 to the elementary school to help provide much needed supplies, books and other teaching materials.  Perhaps even more valuable has been the 60 APX employees who have volunteered their time working as tutors and mentors for many of the children who participate in the after school program.

“Thank you so much.  APX is really helping our students see that they can realize their dreams,” said Sunset View Principal, Anne Marie Harrison.  “Many of them have a mom that works at the local motel cleaning rooms, and this is truly showing them that here, close to their home, they can work for good companies and they can be what they want to be.”

On Sep. 3, Vice Principal, Michelle Wall welcomed APX Alarm as part of the school’s assembly celebrating their 50 year anniversary and thanked APX Alarm for the $10,000 donation to be used for the 2009-2010 school year.  APX Alarm has become a partner in education with the school by also instituting a mentoring and tutoring after-school program with employees committed to make a difference in student’s lives.

At the assembly, Ms. Wall showed students what $10,000 can buy to illustrate how much this gift will mean to them. 

• 144,000 pencils
• 16,064 glue sticks
• 714 student chairs
• 2,640 books
• 2,638 boxes of markers or
• 8,571 notebooks

“It has been a privilege to be associated with such wonderful school administrators and teachers who are as passionate and committed to help these students reach their potential,” said Krissy Weekley, program manager for APX’s charitable foundation.  “We hope to be just a small part in helping these young children realize the potential they have.”

Ms. Wall told students that while the money is greatly appreciated and will go a long way towards supplying much-needed supplies, the volunteer work by APX employees is invaluable.  Many of the children come from challenging home environments and lack proper role models in their lives.  By having tutors and mentors show genuine interest in their school work is a first step in helping students succeed in the classroom.

The overall need at Sunset View Elementary is to mentor and tutor the students. Through mentoring and tutoring, APX employees will be able to make an individual contribution to bettering the lives of these students; by teaching the children how to succeed and helping the students understand the keys to success. Employees will be able to help the students in Math, Reading, writing, and other subjects. In addition to mentoring and tutoring, APX Alarm will sponsor each student for Christmas through our Sub for Santa program. Each child will be given a needed and a wanted item for Christmas. Through the generous giving of employees, these children will each receive a few items that they need and want for Christmas.

Through sponsoring Sunset View Elementary, APX Alarm believes it can make a long term impact in the lives of those who surround us. With passionate employees who desire to help those who have been discouraged and downtrodden in the community, lives can be changed for the better, and a measurable difference can be made; all because of a desire that is in the hearts of those who serve.