Partnering with Boys & Girls Club
Investing in the Future: How Local Donations Can Make a Global Impact
We believe that protecting the earth and helping create a brighter future for the next generation happens on both a global and local scale. Our ever-expanding shipping and recycling network gives second life to hazardous materials and helps save the environment. To make a difference in our community and help mentor the next generation of leaders, we donated $10,000 in December 2020 to the Los Angeles Harbor Boys & Girls Club.
Partnering with Valero and the Boys & Girls Club
We learned about the local Boys & Girl Club through one of our largest business partners, Valero, who was already sponsoring the organization and asked us to contribute. Our local branch has 20 resource sites across the South Bay and serves 2,600 students daily. Their commitment to building community and helping young people reach their full potential through quality programs and services is aligned perfectly with our own corporate values and sense of social responsibility.
Knowing how vital the club is to the community, RTS CEO, Sarah Gautier, was eager to contribute. “When I saw that the Boys & Girls Club was one of our options to donate to, I was very enthusiastic about it. Being a mother, I want to support future generations, give them a safe place to go after school, and give them the types of resources that maybe they wouldn't have access to like college prep classes.”
Investing in the Future by Connecting with the Past
Our donation is especially meaningful to Sarah because she was a club member when she was growing up in Miami, Florida. Sarah recalls, “I went to the Coconut Grove branch every day after school because my mom worked full time. We did our dances and hung out with other kids, played basketball and softball, basically anything that was fun. It was cool because my mom was able to work and still have the security of knowing her kids were somewhere safe.”
Sarah visited club locations in San Pedro and Wilmington to check out their facilities and learn more about the programs they offered. What stood out most at both locations were the parents and staff dedicated to helping young people. Sarah remembers it feeling,”…nice to be around other empowered women who are mothers and are doing things for the community.”
Having been a part of the Boys & Girls Club program herself, Sarah understands the importance of mentorship, especially for girls. “I went through their program and have come out the other side as a college graduate from a University of California school. Now I'm a female small business owner in a male-dominated industry[…] I want the world to be a better place for everyone and my daughter in particular.”
Fulfilling Our Mission
Creating a sense of community and actively making a difference for future generations is at the heart of everything we do at RTS. Though we serve customers in countries all around the world, we all share the same planet and need to work together for the common good.
Supporting the Boys & Girls Club is a powerful way for us to make meaningful connections and improvements to our neighborhood. In the words of RTS CEO, Sarah Gautier, “It's really just about giving back to the communities that we work in. The port of Long Beach is vital to both our business and the livelihoods of everyone in the region. By supporting the community, we are training future industry leaders who, in turn, will do their part to improve the neighborhood. It’s totally a symbiotic thing where everyone benefits.”
