This holiday season, Atlantic Aviation is especially grateful for our employees that go out of their way to give thanks, in so many ways. From national initiatives, to Atlantic-run charity events, down to assisting local organizations and nonprofits, we have a group of incredible employees that have shown just how much they care this season, and this story is no different. 

With Thanksgiving nearing, and considering the circumstances that this year has brought, Atlantic JAN (Jackson, Mississippi) knew they needed to give back to their community in a big way. They started with a small idea: donate a couple of turkeys to families needing assistance in their area. Customer Service Manager, Kelly Vaughn, hit the ground running. She started looking for a local organization that JAN could team up with for Thanksgiving. 

She found the Stewpot, a local charity organization that has deep roots in the community. The Stewpot offers a community kitchen that vows to provide a noontime meal to anyone, no questions asked, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The Stewpot also offers shelter, job assistance, and licensed counselors to assist those in need and the homeless community. What started as a simple soup kitchen in the 80s, developed into a full-fledged organization it is today.

Once Kelly found the right organization, they went to work getting the turkeys. She worked with a local grocery store to purchase and schedule a shipment of 40 turkeys. Joined by General Manager, Ali O’Neil, and Line Service Technician, Jennifer Lukens, who had previously volunteered with the Stewpot, the JAN team hand delivered the turkeys to the Stewpot for the families in need prior to Thanksgiving. But they didn’t stop there, when they realized that the Stewpot needed immediate assistance, they jumped in to help put together over 500 Thanksgiving food baskets, filled with stuffing, mashed potatoes, desserts, and more canned goods. 

The Atlantic Jackson team express their sincerest gratitude at the opportunity to donate their time and hard work to the Stewpot. Ali had this to say “It was a humbling experience for the staff that went. When we dropped off the turkeys, they asked us if we’d like to help feed the homeless too. We said absolutely. It brought perspective and made us realize how thankful we need to be. This is something that we know we will be doing every year moving forward. We are incredibly honored to help the Stewpot with everything that we can.” Atlantic Jackson is proud to have worked with the Stewpot for Thanksgiving and is excited to have found a local charity organization they can align themselves with in the future.