East Penn Manufacturing rallies employees to support Hope Rescue Mission Lighthouse Center
EAST PENN MANUFACTURING CO. continues to deepen its commitment to community service, most recently by supporting the Hope Rescue Mission Lighthouse Women and Children’s Center during the company’s annual sales meeting.
“East Penn is deeply committed to engaging with our neighbors and working to address important community needs,” said Chad Christ, director of industrial marketing at East Penn Manufacturing Co. “We are blessed to have employees who share that same passion.”
Christ said the sales meeting, which brings employees together, creates an ideal moment to unify behind a shared cause. “We work together to participate in and support organizations, like Hope Rescue Mission, that build a stronger community,” he said. “Our annual sales meeting brings hundreds of our employees together in one room, providing the perfect opportunity to give back and make a positive impact.”
East Penn’s philosophy of service is deeply rooted in its history. “At East Penn, we often say that people are the heart of our company,” Christ said. “We highly value our employees and prioritize their well-being. Part of that effort is helping to take care of the communities they live in.”
That commitment began with the company’s founders. “Our founder, DeLight Breidegam Jr., and his wife Helen, strongly believed in giving back to the communities they lived in and where East Penn employees worked,” he said.
The company’s community engagement spans numerous initiatives. East Penn partners with the United Way of Berks County, encouraging employees to lead the annual campaign, volunteer for events such as Day of Caring and the Big Cheese meal-packing event and participate in leadership development programs. Employees also contribute to Friend, Inc. Community Services by donating toys, gifts and holiday turkeys to support families facing food insecurity in Northeast Berks County.
The company also hosts monthly on-site blood drives with the Miller-Keystone Blood Center. “Because of their dedication, countless lives have been saved,” Christ said of East Penn’s employee donors.
For MHEDA members looking to begin or expand their own service efforts, Christ recommends starting locally. “Local organizations greatly benefit from the support of companies in their communities,” he said. Contribution – whether time, resources or funding – can strengthen both community organizations and internal culture. “When employees actively participate, they have the opportunity to make a tangible impact in the places they live, while fostering teamwork, camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose.”
Christ emphasized that East Penn’s family-oriented workplace fuels its culture of giving. “The company cares about employees, and employees care about each other,” he said. “This sense of support extends beyond the walls of our facilities and reaches into the surrounding communities, and we are grateful to be able to make a difference.”
