COLUMBUS, Ind. — Two of Bartholomew County’s largest manufacturers have donated $20,000 — $5,000 to each of four local agencies — in a charitable outreach that grew out of casual conversations between their leaders about how they could help the community.
Brett Wood, Toyota Material Handling North America president and CEO, and Tom Linebarger, Cummins chairman and CEO, were planning to get together for the third year at Christmas time to distribute checks to representatives of the four agencies in person, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted those plans.
Instead, the recipients, Family School Partners, Counseling Counts in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., Love Chapel Food Pantry and LifeDesigns, each received personally delivered checks from Shelley L. Bramlett, Wood’s executive assistant, assisted by Amy Lian, Linebarger’s executive assistant, with heartfelt wishes from Wood and Linebarger and the two companies.
The idea for the two executives to work together came about from an informal collaboration three years ago, with Linebarger visiting Toyota and Wood visiting Cummins. Then, the two talked about a new idea beyond each company’s charity efforts that would be supported by both.
The result was the holiday giving effort with each company giving $2,500 per agency, for a donation of $5,000 to each. Recipients were identified with the help of the United Way of Bartholomew County.
As the pandemic continues shaping everyone’s lives in a new way, Wood said the companies know that the public health crisis is affecting some more than others.
“These donations are a small token of our gratitude for making life better for our neighbors,” Wood said.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
