DLO provides more than 300 Thanksgiving meals to Oklahoma DHS

Through a variety of fundraising efforts, the employees of Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma (DLO) provided 310 food baskets and 213 turkeys to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to feed families for Thanksgiving this year.

"The employees of DLO have partnered with DHS for many years now to provide meals for families at Thanksgiving time,” said Jim McKissick, DLO’s chief people officer. “This is entirely an employee-driven inspiration and event. Our employees hold fund raising events at our facilities from bake sales, breakfasts, lunches, and craft sales to some highly creative funding activities. They have great fun and try to outdo each other each year to increase our support over the previous year.”

Through the employee fundraising efforts, DLO staff purchased much needed Thanksgiving foods such as canned goods, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and dessert items.

Just before going off to purchase the food basket items, DLO received a call from DHS with a plea for turkeys. A company that normally donates 175 turkeys to go along with DLO’s food baskets was unable to provide their usual donation. Since DLO’s fundraising was already allocated to purchase food basket items, Tabitha Guyton, DLO’s human resources associate generalist, and Tina Moore, DLO’s customer support manager, visited several Oklahoma City metro Walmart and Sam’s Club locations to ask for turkey donations. Through their efforts and the generosity of Walmart and Sam’s Club, DLO was able to supply 213 turkeys to go along with the 310 food baskets.

“Our employees understand how privileged we are and want to share with those in need,” McKissick said. “And although they do have fun, the most joy they have is when they see the mountain of food being loaded onto the trucks and headed out to feed more than 300 families who need and deserve a good meal during the Thanksgiving holiday season.”