Living a Legacy Now...So We Can Leave One Later
We're blessed to be a blessing
"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:26 (NIV)
My life is not unlike yours. I've had ups and downs. I've won and I've lost. I've shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow. Through all of these, though, one thing remains constant: I've been blessed so that I may bless others.
Sometimes these blessings are resources like time or money that I can pour into others' lives. Sometimes they're lessons I've learned (usually painful...) that I can share to help others avoid repeating my mistakes. No matter how you look at it, however, I've been given gifts that I don't deserve to keep to myself. In fact, I believe that's something that we all have in common. Our lives are a compilation of experiences that make us who we are...so we can enrich the lives of those whose paths we cross.
I encourage everyone at ATLAS (and, for that matter, everyone in my sphere of influence) to always smile. You never know when your positive disposition will change the outlook on someone's day. I also encourage everyone I know to take other actions that positively influence others' lives, whenever and wherever they're so led. That's the spirit behind ATLAS Alive. The book of James reminds us that "faith without deeds is dead." ATLAS Alive, therefore, is a conduit for ATLAS employees and family members to breathe life into their faith by helping others.
With so much pain in the world today, there are a myriad of opportunities to help. I know we can't ease all the pain exclusively by what we do here at ATLAS. I hope, however, that by sharing some of the things we do in and around the communities where we live and work, we can inspire action from others...from you.
No matter the differences between us, our similarities are far greater. My hope is that you'll join us in seeking out these similarities and use the time and talents you're blessed with to make someone else's life a little better.
My very best to you,
Dave Westlake
Founder, CEO
Some of our recent projects:
While in Kingston, Ontario, for a conference and meetings with a business partner, ATLAS employees (and some industry friends) helped with kitchen and clean up duties at Martha's Table, a community based kitchen that serves meals to the needy.
A frequent destination for conferences and meetings, ATLAS employees have been volunteering at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission whenever they're in town for years. We've prepared and served meals, cleaned up, engaged in fellowship--anything to bring a little light to those who need it.
Family Promise provides homeless families with temporary housing in local churches until they can find a permanent place to live. ATLAS employees and family members helped organize and staff a new Family Promise outreach in Waukesha County, WI.
The Us4You foundation was started by a company with deep personal ties to ATLAS. Us4You feeds roughly 350 children per day and has built 2 schools to date. In addition to volunteering time and working on projects for the foundation, ATLAS family members built and maintain the domain and website.
JAM SA has been serving disadvantaged communities in South Africa since 2005. They currently feed over 90,000 preschool children in more than 1,700 centers across South Africa; ATLAS employees and family members volunteer regularly.
Founded and run by an ATLAS family, Sink or Swim teaches kids discipline, focus, and builds confidence through the fundamentals of competitive swimming. Recognizing that kids with something to focus on stay out of trouble, Sink or Swim creates winning mindsets that give kids the skills to make a lifetime of good decisions.
The Lexington Rescue Mission is the site of one of the first ATLAS Alive initiatives. ATLAS employees served meals, cleaned up, and helped with administrative duties...and continue to do so whenever in town for meetings or events.