At Worthington Steel, giving back to the community is more than a seasonal gesture—it’s woven into the company’s identity. This year, the company, led by its Veterans Employee Resource Group (ERG) called Honor, took part in our Holiday Stockings for Heroes campaign. Through this initiative, employees united to assemble 1,400 stockings for Service Members and Veterans, bringing them a touch of holiday cheer and heartfelt appreciation!

“Two years ago, our company began an initiative to create Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). About a year into it, Worthington Industries split into two entities: Worthington Steel and Worthington Enterprises. Despite the split, our ERGs maintain close communication, and we work together to make changes in our communities of focus.” – Michael J. Panza, Regional EHS Manager for the Coated Business Unit at Worthington Steel and Co-chair of Honor 

Honor’s mission is to support the Veteran and transitioning Military community while fostering Veteran-friendly practices at Worthington Steel. As part of this mission, Honor spearheads two major initiatives each year—one near Veterans Day and another around Memorial Day.

The stocking initiative doubled as a Veterans Day celebration, highlighting the company’s appreciation for those who serve. Employees came together during the week leading up to Veterans Day and shortly afterward, holding packing events that fostered camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose.

“This year, we wanted our event to include our small teams of Veterans out at our individual facilities as well as our corporate offices, and the team felt strongly that we would get some traction tapping into our natural propensity for charitable drives,” says Michael.

Making a Plan, Building Momentum

The Honor team held some calls and organized the event with some instructions:

• Each location held donation drives to gather stocking stuffer items such as snacks, hygiene products, and small gifts.
• Team members organized packing events where employees came together to fill the stockings, adding personal touches like handwritten notes.
• Honor tracked the event’s progress, coordinating efforts and sharing updates internally to celebrate the collective achievement.

For the week leading up to Veterans Day, the packing events were held, and stockings were assembled for shipping. The result? An impressive 1,400 stockings filled with holiday cheer – ready to be shipped to Veterans and Service Members.

“Overall this was an amazing event where we got support from nearly 2 dozen facilities across the organization to pack just over 1,400 stockings. and we enjoyed every minute of it!” says Michael.   

We’re so grateful for their support this year and for their commitment to the Military-connected community – both within the company and within their community. This undertaking really demonstrates the power of teamwork and purpose, fostering a culture of collaboration and generosity. Thank you, Worthington Steel, for bringing holiday cheer to Veterans and Service Members!

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