In a commendable move that defines community spirit, employees from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and its managing contractor, UT-Battelle, have amassed a generous sum exceeding $1.1 million in donations for various East Tennessee nonprofits and disaster relief efforts in 2024. According to ORNL's announcement, the drive was fueled by over $922,000 in contributions from ORNL staff and nearly $183,000 from UT-Battelle to bolster those efforts.
The "ORNL Gives" campaign, an annual tradition spearheaded by employees, culminated with the collection of this staggering sum. Syreeta Vaughn, the chair of the campaign, shared the news during a Leadership Givers breakfast on January 14. "When you are from here, it's just what you do,” Vaughn said, acknowledging the commitment of those who contributed both money and volunteer hours, particularly in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the east of Oak Ridge. An additional form of aid came through more than 1,800 hours of volunteer service, as recorded via Volunteer East Tennessee, as per the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The giving program at ORNL is notably flexible, empowering employees to support a breadth of nonprofits through donations or hands-on volunteer work. This past year's campaign included creative fundraising activities conducted on-site, such as T-shirt sales, bake sales, 5K runs, and food drives. Support extended to the local community included initiatives like the Mobile Meals program, which provided assistance to both elderly residents and their pets. Over 100 nonprofits received aid from this initiative in 2024, with beneficiaries ranging from the East Tennessee Children's Hospital to the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries and engineering-focused initiatives such as Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls.
Additionally, ORNL's giving ecosystem encompasses a Matching Gifts Fund, where UT-Battelle amplifies the impact of employee contributions with matching funds, and the Team UT-Battelle volunteer service program, aimed at reinforcing outreach in the Oak Ridge community and beyond. The Disaster Relief Fund played a crucial role amidst Hurricane Helene's aftermath, raising $91,000 from employee donations and a significant $50,000 boost from UT-Battelle. This fund channeled support to impacted communities through the East Tennessee Foundation's Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund. ORNL employees also took a hands-on approach, donating supplies and partaking in home reconstruction efforts in locales such as Erwin, Tenn.
ORNL, which is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, takes pride in its connection to East Tennessee, as reflected by ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer's comment. "ORNL is proud to be a part of East Tennessee, and our employees truly want to make a positive impact in the lives of our neighbors," Streiffer told ORNL's news outlet. The Office of Science, being the largest patron of basic physical sciences research in the nation, continues its work addressing pressing contemporary challenges.
