GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY December 2011 Giving Back To The Community KIDS IN DISTRESS, BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA www.kidinc.org We live in a very fastpaced society where sometimes we don't take time to help those that are in need most. Many of us have good intentions, but get caught up in the daily grind and focus only on the tasks at hand. We think "what can I do that will make a difference?" It is important to remember that everything great starts with first an idea and then a drive and determination to make it happen. It begins with one person but can quickly become a movement when others adopt the cause or common goal. Recently the team at LED Source® and the great people at Toshiba, LED Lighting Systems Division, came together to help make a difference for the South Florida based charity, Kids In Distress (KID). Originally starting in a small house in 1979 as an emergency shelter for the abuse and neglect of children, KID has since expanded services and grown to a 5acre campus located in Broward County, Florida. The mission of KID is to prevent child abuse, preserve the family and treat children who have been abused and neglected. KID has provided adoptive and shelter services to more than 6,000 children and their families, and is the only remaining emergency shelter in the area. Timm Stifter, Sales Support Manager at LED Source® has been involved with KID for several years, recently brought to light the challenges the charity was facing with their current lighting. Timm noticed that some of the facility’s incandescent bulbs were burnedout, mismatched and hard to change due to their location. The bulbs required constant replacing and maintenance, which caused unnecessary expenses for the charity. He knew that LED lighting would not only improve the current lighting conditions and provide an increased level of safety, it would also cut costs on maintenance and lower energy bills. LEDs Making A Difference By Dean Ernst LED Source® and KIDs The staff and management of LED Source® with the children of KID Grif Palmer, Timm Stifter, Jason Ernstam, Andres Pereira,Troy Dockery, Jerry Mitchell. Smile For The Camera Sheila Malone Jones, VP of Facilities and Support Services, with Timm Stifter and Cynthia Viteri from LED Source®.