Donors give ATSS Foundation record-breaking Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday donations resulted in more than $12,800 for The ATSS Foundation, the largest amount ever received by the nonprofit on this global day of philanthropy.

The Georgia ATSSA Chapter GA-ATSSA got things rolling by offering $5,000 in matching funds. Then 31 individuals and businesses rose to the challenge, giving $7,851 to bring the total to $12,851.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity shown by our supporters, including the Georgia Chapter of ATSSA by providing its $5,000 match,” said Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “Yesterday’s record-breaking total demonstrates the heart of our members who back The Foundation and its efforts to spread awareness of the importance of work zone safety and to assist families whose lives are forever changed by a work zone tragedy.”

Giving Tuesday is observed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. and is a day to “unleash the power of radical generosity around the world.” It has become a day for nonprofits to benefit from the generosity of individuals and groups.

The Foundation works year-round to support families forever changed by work zone incidents. Here are some of the ways it helped in the first 11 months of 2022:

• 14 Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships and two Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarships were awarded for the 2022-23 academic year to the dependents of men and women killed or permanently disabled in work zone incidents.
• 10 names were added to the National Work Zone Memorial.
• The National Work Zone Memorial visited 13 locations, reaching more than 8,650 people.
• The virtual National Work Zone Memorial was displayed at 17 events, reaching more than 7,155 people.
• Two Marty Weed Engineering Scholarships were awarded to newer public agency engineers from the Tennessee Department of Transportation TDOT and the Utah Department of Transportation UDOT to attend the 2022 Convention & Traffic Expo.
• The children’s work zone educational activity book reached more than 5,000 children as a result of 65 unique downloads reaching more than 4,140 children and the purchase of 889 copies.
• The Work Zone Safe Teen Driver program educated nearly 2,300 teens, ages 15-19, about work zone safety.
• Experience Camps Travel Scholarships were offered to children grieving a parent, sibling or caregiver lost to a roadway work zone incident.