In October, Maximus employees in El Paso, Texas, gathered more than 50 pairs of new shoes for a donation drive in support of the Buckner Rio Grande Valley Children’s Home, a current Maximus Foundation grantee partner.

Belinda Olivo, an outreach manager with Maximus’ Health Division in Texas and Maximus Foundation Ambassador, was one member of the organization who assisted with the shoe drive at Maximus. She explained that gifts like new shoes uplift children who may feel like no one cares.

“Some of these children share everything and may not have a single possession of their own,” she said. “A pair of new shoes eliminates barriers to school attendance and may increase their participation in extra-curricular activities such as sportsand other school-based clubs.”

Buckner cares about the families they serve, according to Olivo, whose role at Maximus supports foster families and children in the area. Foster children have a unique set of challenges that Buckner and her team see firsthand.

“A home filled with structure and love goes a long way in helping children succeed,” she said. “Buckner provides the support that foster families need to give the children under their care a positive experience.”

Olivo said these events uplift communities.

“I love that Maximus values their employees and cares about the communities we live and work in, and I am proud to say that I work for Maximus,” she said. “We reside in these communities; we know the struggles that families go through because we see it as we conduct our outreach services. The Maximus Foundation makes such a positive impact on the local communities. The grants go straight to supporting their missions.”

As a Maximus Foundation Ambassador, Olivio serves as a passionate partnership-builder who promotes employee engagement with the Foundation and local nonprofits, like Buckner.

Buckner International assists underserved populations in Texas and six countries. Buckner International supports children in foster care, adoption services, senior living, and education and crisis assistance for families. Since 1999, the organization’s Shoes for Orphan Souls drive has distributed more than 4 million pairs of new shoes and socks to children in 83 countries, according to the Buckner International website.

Visit the Buckner website for more information about the program and its services.

Giving back to the communities we serve

The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways our employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their contributions together through the Foundation, increasing their collective impact on the communities in which we live and serve. Employees double their impact through Maximus’ dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and participating employees make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Learn more at maximus.com/foundation.