Employees rally together to expand access to free books in Empowerment Zone
OUC employees came together in a powerful show of community, donating 1,848 books to stock 10 Little Free Libraries located throughout the 32805 ZIP code, one of the most underserved areas of OUC’s service territory.
Employees contributed new and gently used books, spanning a wide range of themes, ensuring that each Little Free Library offers something to spark curiosity and encourage a lifelong love of reading.
The drive’s success was fueled by employee participation across OUC, with several standout contributors.
- Gino Gonzalez Padilla, Electric Tech I – top donor
- Rick Collier, Construction Coordinator – runner-up
- Tom Gaboian, Sr. Environmental Compliance Specialist, along with Jenise Osani, Vice President, Customer Experience & Sales – tied for third
Regina Frazer, Customer Experience Quality Control Analyst, and Charmian Summerville, Sr. Business Process Analyst (pictured left), distributed the books to community partners including the Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Pathway Home Drop-in Center, New St. Mark Church and Shiloh Baptist Church.
The book drive supports the Empowerment Zone Taskforce’s broader mission to uplift the 32805 community through education, health and wellness, and sustainable housing. For more information about OUC’s Empowerment Zone projects and additional efforts in our community, click here.