Just in time for a frosty forecast, Athene comes through again, for the 24th year in a row!
Thursday morning at Studebaker Elementary School the gym turned into a giant fitting room as students, that’s all 503 of them, lined up to get outfitted with new winter coats and boots.
And they’re not the only ones who will benefit from Athene’s generosity.
Cattell, Howe and McKinley elementary schools are also on the route this week as the Athene USA Charitable Foundation donates more than 1,500 coats and pairs of boots to students at those schools, some of the district’s neediest. Many families in those neighborhoods are new to this country and arrived ill equipped for their first Iowa winter. Not anymore.
Nearly 100 Athene employees volunteered to help with the big bundle-up, and if you look at the smiles on the kids’ faces, it’s no wonder why.
“The joy and excitement we see from students when we give them a new coat and pair of boots is gratifying,” said Grant Kvalheim, CEO and President of Athene USA. “Our employees look forward to this event all year.”
That includes Kvalheim, who was at Cattell on Monday when this year’s operation began.
Athene USA is a corporation headquartered in West Des Moines that serves as the U.S. holding company for Athene’s annuity operations in the United States.
J.C. Penney and Shoe Carnival provided the coats and boots to Athene at a discount.
Like the song says, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.