Assure Occupational Testing has gone through its ups and downs over the past decade. The company has weathered the worst of an economic downturn that began nearly five years ago. Now celebrating its tenth year in business, the company seeks to give back to the community that supported it.
Jon Rokochy, founder and CEO of the company, is spending the next ten months dividing $10K among ten different charities. The first charity presented with a cheque for $1,000 is the Salvation Army Church. Bobbi Oyerinde, community and family support service worker with the church, is pleased to accept the donation that she knows will go a long way.
“It’s amazing actually. This is a really good community, and I know that the Salvation Army feels really grateful for all the support we get,” says Oyerinde.
As one of the Border City’s primary food banks, the Army provides a number of services such as food hampers and Christmas programming. Oyerinde says that the Army’s impact on the community is more obvious than ever; appointments with the Army are perpetually full a week and a half in advance. Appointments to access the Army’s services are stacked about thirteen per day, Monday to Friday.
The Army also does it’s best to help change the situations of those in need. Whether it’s helping them learn skills or find a job, ways to receive help from the Salvation Army include ones outside of their fast-moving food hampers. Oyerinde says that Summer months also see a high level of food bank access, and each week sees new people access their services.
“Right now, the food bank is very low on certain things. Macaroni and cheese, noodles, veggies, fruit, that kind of thing. So definitely, there are specific things we’re low on,” says Oyerinde.
The Army is grateful for the support, and Rokochy says his company is happy to offer it. The donation comes from he sees as a need to help support the community that’s supported him and his company for the past decade.
“This is a community that’s built us and grown us. We’ve been here for ten years, so it’s important to sow back into the community that’s sown into us. This is just a small way we can give back to Lloydminster,” says Rokochy.
Rokochy says the cheque presentation in August will be made to the Thorpe Recovery Centre. He invites all former clients and members of the community to attend a customer and community appreciation barbecue next to the company’s downtown office on August 8.