We made it through 2024! This was quite a year, but in truth, every year has its challenges and rewards. We deeply appreciate our employees, our clients, our communities and our Earth!! On we go to a beautiful New Year.
In upcoming blogs we will review 2024 and enjoy the highlights. We will also look into the predictions for 2025.
History: When Does the New Year Begin!!
We hope our readers have some fun plans for New Year’s Eve! The question occurred… how long have we humans being celebrating the New Year? We found the answer in Brittanica [LINK] and it’s a bit surprising (and confusing).
“The earliest known record of a New Year festival dates from about 2000 bce in Mesopotamia, where in Babylonia the new year (Akitu) began with the new moon after the vernal equinox and in Assyria with the new moon nearest the autumn equinox (mid-September). For the Egyptians and Phoenicians, the year began with the autumn equinox (September 21), for ancient Persians it began on the vernal equinox (March 21), and for the early Greeks it began with the winter solstice (December 21). On the Roman republican calendar the year began on March 1, but after 153 bce the official date was January 1, which was continued in the Julian calendar of 46 bce.
“In early medieval times most of Christian Europe regarded March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, as the beginning of the new year, although New Year’s Day was observed on December 25 in Anglo-Saxon England. William the Conqueror decreed that the year begin on January 1, but England later joined the rest of Christendom and adopted March 25. The Gregorian calendar, adopted in 1582 by the Roman Catholic Church, restored January 1 as New Year’s Day, and most European countries gradually followed suit: Scotland, in 1660; Germany and Denmark, about 1700; England, in 1752; and Russia, in 1918.”
January 1st it is!!
Apparently there came to be some agreement on the Gregorian calendar and here we are… stepping off into 2025. Will it be a good year for AMS? Undoubtedly it will!!
That very special thing about AMS is that we are a B Corporation. What does that mean? It means that, unlike some others, we put the well-being of our employees, clients, community and our beautiful Earth right up there as #1. In other words… AMS will not exploit others or damage the earth for profit. AMS Fulfillment is a leader, in many ways, and we are grateful. Perhaps in 2025 we will see more businesses stepping up to the B Corporation standards. Let’s make it a beautiful year!
Happy New Year!
May the coming year be filled with… fulfillment… prosperity… and wonderful surprises!!
Hanukkah is a beautiful festival that commemorates a historical event, described as the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication.
It is observed for eight nights and days and the dates are different each year. The dates are determined by the Hebrew calendar, and the festival can occur any time between November 28 and December 27. This year Hanukkah began on the evening of December 25th and it continues for eight days and nights until January 2nd.
The Festival Story
We went to Chabad.org [LINK] for more information on the story upon which the celebration is created.
“Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple.
“In the second century BCE, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who tried to force the people of Israel to accept Greek culture and beliefs instead of mitzvah observance and belief in G‑d. Against all odds, a small band of faithful but poorly armed Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G‑d.”
The Celebration
There is an inspiring story behind the Menorah, and we return to Chabad.org for that story:
“When they sought to light the Temple’s Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.
“To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah.
“At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting. The menorah holds nine flames, one of which is the shamash (“attendant”), which is used to kindle the other eight lights. On the first night, we light just one flame. On the second night, an additional flame is lit. By the eighth night of Chanukah, all eight lights are kindled.
“Special blessings are recited, often to a traditional melody, before the menorah is lit, and traditional songs are sung afterward.
“A menorah is lit in every household (or even by each individual within the household) and placed in a doorway or window. The menorah is also lit in synagogues and other public places. In recent years, thousands of jumbo menorahs have cropped up in front of city halls and legislative buildings, and in malls and parks all over the world.”
Other Hanukkah Festivities
Some of the other festivities taking place during the eight-day celebration include singing celebratory songs, eating oil-based foods such as latkes and sufganiyot, and dairy foods, playing the game of dreidel, and having public menorah lightings. Hanukkah is described as having major cultural significance in North America and elsewhere. The following is from Wikipedia [LINK].
“Originally instituted as a feast “in the manner of Sukkot (Booths)”, it does not come with the corresponding obligations, and is therefore a relatively minor holiday in strictly religious terms. Nevertheless, Hanukkah has attained major cultural significance in North America and elsewhere, especially among secular Jews, due to often occurring around the same time as Christmas during the festive season.”
Happy Hanukkah to all celebrants!! May Love and Light fill your heart!
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
This is the season in which we express our prayer for Peace and envision a world of human upliftment into the realization that we are One. We are the Human Family, brothers and sisters all.
Christmas 2024
Christians and non-Christians as well enjoy the Christmas holiday and its focus on Peace on Earth. The holiday begins on the eve of December 24th and the day of celebration is the 25th. Peace on Earth is no doubt the prayer of every one of us – let the wars end – let no one else die in war – let us care for one another – let us realize we are one family!
The Story
There are so many wonderful images in the Christmas story for our enjoyment. We have Mary and Joseph traveling and finding a very humble place to rest. We have the birth of the holy child, in a manger. We have angels filling the sky, making the announcement of his birth to the shepherds in the fields. We have wise men seeing the announcement of his birth in the stars and traveling to the child with gifts. All of these stories have been treasures in the imagination of little children at Christmastime, and they are beautiful and inspiring.
Christmas is both a religious holiday and a secular one. There are other Christmas stories in our culture with Santa Claus being the primary one. Santa and Mrs. Santa live at the North Pole, where they have lots of little helpers making toys to be delivered on Christmas eve, and placed under the Christmas tree. When the story was first told there was a reminder for the child to be good, otherwise the toy delivered by Santa could be a piece of coal! Add to the story a picture of Santa in a sleigh, pulled by reindeer, flying through the sky. Everyone knows Santa means Christmas and gifts under the tree!
Peace on Earth
How did Christmas come to be associated with the hope and dream of Peace on Earth? As a partial answer, we found this prayer online [LINK]. In the religion of Christianity, the bringer of peace is the holy child.
“We pray for the power to be gentle; the strength to be forgiving; the patience to be understanding; and the endurance to accept the consequences of holding on to what we believe to be right. May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil and the power of love to overcome hatred. We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe in a world emancipated from violence, a new world where fear shall no longer lead persons to commit injustice, nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others. Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy to the task of making peace, praying always for the inspiration and the power to fulfill the destiny for which we and all humans were created.” – Author Unknown
Personal Peace
For all of our employees and friends and readers we extend to you the prayer for personal peace on this night of Christmas Eve. If you lost a loved one during the year, if you’re dealing with sickness or other troubles, if your personal peace is affected this year, our prayer is that within your heart will be the knowing that we are One and we are Loved.
Let’s conclude with some quotes that showed up in a simple Google search for Christmas quotes:
“May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.” — Unknown
“From home to home and heart to heart, from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.” — Emily Matthews
“As long as we love, there will always be Christmas.” — Lailah Gifty Akita
“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things, not the great occasions, give off the greatest glow of happiness.” — Bob Hope
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” — Peg Bracken
“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.” — Ruth Carter Stapleton
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of November: KRISTINA S., STEFFON T.,RITA H.,SVYATOSLAV F.,NICHOLAS P.,CRISTY G., and KARINA FUNES L.
In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them. Every month we see our employees working hard with such outstanding dedication and we are continually impressed by the results they produce!
Congratulations to this month’s winners! All Winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate, T-Shirt, and Quarterly Celebration Lunch!
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KRISTINA S., Operations Supervisor II (November 2006) Boulden
Client Services would like to nominate Krissy for Employee of the Month for her incredible dedication and performance. Krissy will go above and beyond for her clients. The care she puts into her accounts has been called out by one of our valued clients. During a client visit, Krissy blew their representative away with the care and knowledge she demonstrated. Krissy is truly a great leader. She is great to work with, dedicated, knowledgeable and very approachable! She plays such a pivotal role in the operations of our Boulden facility. She has shown great strength during peak and has been our go-to person! And for several other accounts, Krissy is very knowledgeable, approachable, and dedicated! Thank you, Krissy, for all the hard work! – Gabby F. & Rich G.
STEFFON T., Inventory Receiving Specialist I (November 2024) Churchman’s
Steffon started out as a temp employee but right out the gate wanted only to become an AMS employee. Steff put all his time and energy into becoming full-time with us and once becoming full-time he has just not stopped. Steffon brings in energy, determination, a GO-GET-EM attitude, and the kindheartedness you wish for in an employee. With a great attitude and personality, he is always willing to help other departments, taking the time to ask if help is needed. He has been an incredible asset during peak season putting in tons of OT and coming in early to get things done whether it’s putting away pallets on the dock or making boxes – he’ll do anything to help. Congratulations Steffon! Just keep being you!” – Robert T.
RITA H., Operations Associate III (November 2016) Headquarters WH
Rita is an outstanding person, and it is a pleasure working with her, especially when she occasionally comes and helps in the Returns Department. She has a ready-to-learn work ethic! She is always smiling and consistently maintains a professional and very polite demeanor, even under pressure. I have heard from other co-workers as well that she is a fast picker and packer and even makes sure all orders are correct and shipped out. She is extremely reliable and dependable and will work extra hours when needed. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. You deserve Employee of the Month Rita! – Teresa G.
SVYATOSLAV F., Operations Associate III (June 2020) Livingston
Though we have many individuals here at Liv who have stepped up and done great work during Peak, I nominate Slava because he plays a very key role in our department and that is to keep eight walls running smoothly, which is a very difficult task to do with limited training hours for the seasonal pickers. We hit record numbers this year and Slava was a big part of that! Slava was here every minute of each day, showing his dedication and commitment to doing the best job he could do for our ops. Your hard work was well recognized, and we give you a big thanks, Slav! – Saul M.
NICHOLAS P., Director of Operations I (August 2024) New Holland
Although Nick is relatively new to AMS and continues to acclimate to his role, he has quickly emerged as an exceptional leader. His strong communication skills and innovative ideas have greatly benefited our Client Service Team. I appreciate his proactive approach to providing assistance and ensuring we stay on course. Nick has been an exceptional advocate for all departments within the building, and we have observed significant growth since he joined AMS. – Wendy M. & Alyssa F.
CRISTY G., Operations Manager I (April 2012) Williams
Cristy’s leadership has led the team to hit record numbers for one of our top accounts. She is a hard worker, has a “can do” attitude, and is a team player. Cristy goes above and beyond to help us ensure our clients’ goals are met and we are very lucky to have her as part of our team. Her positive attitude and willingness to jump in and help as needed make her a valuable asset. And on top of that, she is one of our Activities Reps who goes above and beyond to make the workplace a fun and positive place to be. Thank you for everything that you do, Cristy! – Esperanza E. & Sam H.
KARINA FUNES L., Operations Associate II (September 2024) Witherspoon
Karina started as a temp helping in returns and was just hired onto the team full-time in September. She has learned so much in her time here. She has been doing a great job helping during peak season in another department. She is fast and has become very knowledgeable in the system and processes that we have. She is always ready to work and has a very positive attitude. Thank you, Karina, for putting in a great effort every day. You are very much apricated. – Vanessa H.
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To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
The longest night and shortest day have been observed and commemorated for a long, long time. Perhaps as long as Life has been on earth the longest night and shortest day have been observed.
Winter solstice marks the return of the sun, and perhaps for that reason there is feasting, and gifts are given. Go online and google winter solstice… this is what comes up:
“The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere.”
Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024
Also called: Midwinter; the Shortest Day; the Longest Night
Celebrations: Feasting
Observed by: Various cultures
Related to: Winter festivals
Significance: Beginning of lengthening days and shortening nights
“These annual changes in sunlight as the Earth revolves around the sun have been well known to humans for centuries. Monuments such as Stonehenge in England and the Torreon at Peru’s Machu Picchu were designed in part to align with solstices.”
Let’s talk about how the earth’s journey around the sun gives us seasons and reasons to celebrate.
What is the solstice?
In our science classes we learned that the earth travels around the sun at an angle. The earth’s axis is tilted either toward the sun or away from the sun and that means that when the Northern hemisphere is experiencing the longest night, the Southern hemisphere is enjoying the longest day. The Time Magazine article describes it as follows:
“The solstices mark the times during the year when the Earth is at its most extreme tilt toward or away from the sun. This means the hemispheres are getting very different amounts of sunlight—and days and nights are at their most unequal.
During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, the upper half of the Earth is tilted away from the sun, creating the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls between December 20 and 23.”
Solstices kick off summer and winter. Equinoxes mark the start of spring and autumn.
How do People Celebrate?
The Brittanica website [LINK] lists seven celebrations from around the world.
*Dong Zhi: Dong Zhi, the “arrival of winter,” is an important festival in China. It is a time for family to get together and celebrate the year they have had. Based on the traditional Chinese celestial calendar, the holiday generally falls between the 21st and 23rd of December. It is thought to have started as an end-of-harvest festival, with workers returning from the fields and enjoying the fruits of their labors with family. Special foods, such as tang yuan (glutinous rice balls), are enjoyed.
*St. Lucia’s Day: St. Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights celebrated in Scandinavia around the time of the winter solstice. Although it is now meant to honor St. Lucia, a Christian martyr, it has been incorporated with earlier Norse solstice traditions, such as lighting fires to ward off spirits during the longest night. Girls dress up in white gowns with red sashes and wear wreaths of candles on their heads in honor of St. Lucia.
*Midwinter: Midwinter in Antarctica gets its share of solstice celebration, thanks to the researchers staying there over the long, dangerously cold season. While those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying the most daylight hours, in the Southern Hemisphere they are celebrating Midwinter. Festivities include special meals, films, and sometimes even handmade gifts.
*Saturnalia: The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia is perhaps the most closely linked with the modern celebration of Christmas. This festival happened around the time of the winter solstice and celebrated the end of the planting season. There were games and feasts and gift-giving for several days, and social order was inverted—slaves did not work and were briefly treated as equals.
*Inti Raymi: The Inti Raymi solstice celebration comes in June rather than December. But for Peru it is a winter solstice, and this Incan celebration is in honor of the Sun god. Originally celebrated by the Inca before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, the festivities included feasts and sacrifices of animals. The Spaniards banned the holiday, but it was revived (with mock sacrifices instead of real ones) in the 20th century and is still celebrated today.
*Yalda: The Persian festival Yalda, or Shab-e Yalda is a celebration of the winter solstice in Iran that started in ancient times. It marks the last day of the Persian month of Azar. Yalda is viewed traditionally as the victory of light over dark, and the birthday of the sun god Mithra. Families celebrate together with special foods like nuts and pomegranates and some stay awake all night long to welcome the morning sun.
*Soyal: Soyal is the winter solstice celebration of the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. Ceremonies and rituals include purification, dancing, and sometimes gift-giving. At the time of the solstice, Hopi welcome the kachinas, protective spirits from the mountains. Prayer sticks are crafted and used for various blessings and other rituals.
Winter then Spring
We human beings are so incredibly wealthy with regard to our cultures, our historical experiences, our capacity to learn and know and our shared love for life and each other. Happy Solstice to All – we are grateful for the return of the sun’s light – on December 21st early in the morning, 4:19 AM EST – SMILE!!! – the return begins.
There are a whole lot of celebrations in December and we’re going to uplift them all!! We have the Winter Solstice coming on December 21st at 4:19 AM. Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and lasts until January 1st, 2025. Christmas Eve is the 24th of December and Christmas Day is the 25th. Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 25th and lasts until January 2nd, 2025. This is the season of gratitude and love of life, and we appreciate every cultural celebration!
We will learn about Kwanzaa in this writing, and after that we will cover Solstice, Christmas and Hanukkah.
What is Kwanza
When we asked Google “what is Kwanzaa” we got the following answer: “Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Karenga, an African American and Pan-African activist, created Kwanzaa in response to the Watts Rebellion in Los Angeles in 1965. He wanted to create a holiday to bring the African American community together and to encourage pride in their culture.”
That certainly is a beautiful reason to create an event. The Kwanzaa intention is to bring families and communities together. Within the days of celebration there is a lot of inspiration and wisdom.
The Watts Rebellion
The Watts rebellion took place in August of 1965 in the Los Angeles suburb of Watts and it lasted for six days. It was triggered by an arrest, and it involved thousands of Black youth fighting the police. It resulted in 34 deaths, more than 1,000 injuries, nearly 4,000 arrests, and property damage in the amount of millions of dollars.
According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture [LINK], “The Watts Rebellion is considered a key turning point in the African American Civil Rights movement. It inspired similar uprisings in cities across the nation and helped shape public understanding of race relations in the United States. In response to the rebellion, California leaders built a new state college near the communities impacted by the rebellion.”
Dr. Karenga’s Creation
Dr. Karenga created Kwanzaa as a seven-day celebration with each day celebrating one of seven principles. The Smithsonian website describes Dr. Karenga’s creation as follows:
“Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. The seven principles which form its core were drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent.”
The Seven Day Celebration
We will introduce the principles and then look into them more closely. From the Smithsonian: “These principles are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). Kwanzaa gets its name from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” and is rooted in first fruit celebrations which are found in cultures throughout Africa both in ancient and modern times.”
Before we go over the principles, here is a little more about the celebration in general:
“During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture. Each day they light a candle to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods.
“The table is decorated with the essential symbols of Kwanzaa, such as the Kinara (Candle Holder), Mkeka (Mat), Muhindi (corn to represent the children), Mazao (fruit to represent the harvest), and Zawadi (gifts). One might also see the colors of the Pan-African flag, red (the struggle), black (the people), and green (the future), represented throughout the space and in the clothing worn by participants. These colors were first proclaimed to be the colors for all people of the African diaspora by Marcus Garvey.”
The Seven Principles
On each day of Kwanzaa, the celebrants light a candle for that day’s principle on their candleholder (Kinara).
*Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
*Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
*Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
*Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
*Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
*Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
*Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Appreciation
The Seven Principals are incredibly inspiring and beautiful. Kwanzaa is most definitely a creation of love. Happy Kwanzaa to all who are participating in this beautiful seven-day celebration of life and community. Enjoy!!!
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
As our readers likely know, AMS Fulfillment works with community organizations such as Desert Haven and First Step. These are organizations that develop, enhance, and promote the capabilities of persons with developmental disabilities and assist participants to develop marketable job skills and gain work stability and experience through specialized training at community-based work sites.
At AMS we hire people with developmental (dis)Abilities, and we provide every employee equality in wages, health coverage and benefits. AMS’ best practice of salary benchmarking for our payrates using ERI which compiles the most robust salary, cost of living, and executive compensation survey data available, with updated market data for more than 1,100 industry sectors. ERI collects salary survey data from internal surveys, third-party salary surveys, and public sources to calculate geographic salary differentials and assist with compensation planning. As readers can see, it is important to us to offer fair wages to all of our employees.
Disability Employment News
At AMS we follow the news regarding disability employment, and we are pleased to see some changes on the horizon. According to liveaction dot org, the rule allowing employers to pay people with disabilities below minimum wage could end soon. The report is as follows:
“The United States Labor Department is considering axing a rule which allows people with disabilities to be paid less than minimum wage — a first step towards more equality for one of the country’s most persecuted groups.
“Reuters reports said the current rule, which exempts employees with disabilities from being paid the $7.25 minimum, is no longer necessary. Originally, the exemption was allegedly necessary to ensure people with disabilities had job opportunities. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers have been allowed to apply for exemptions known as 14(c) certificates allowing them to pay their disabled employees less than minimum wage when “necessary to prevent the curtailment of opportunities for employment.”
“This has continued, despite the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, making this change long overdue.
“A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that over 100,000 employees were being paid less than minimum wage as of 2019; half are paid less than $3.50 per hour, and about 10% are paid less than $1 an hour, which disability rights groups have rightly pointed out is exploitative.”
Changes to Come
The Reuters report [LINK] gives us not only more information, but a way to help affect change.
“The U.S. Department of Labor said the decades-old exemption from the standard minimum wage, currently $7.25 an hour, was no longer needed to meet its original goal of expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities.
“DOL in the rule proposed on Tuesday said that legal and policy developments including the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 had rendered the program unnecessary, and that it would stop issuing new certificates and phase out existing ones over the next three years.
“DOL will accept public comments on the proposal through Jan. 17, a few days before Democratic President Joe Biden leaves office and Republican President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for a second term.”
We are very pleased to see these changes to come, and we look forward to the day when all individuals with disabilities are fairly compensated for their time and effort on the job.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
We’re entering a season wherein the collective spirit of the people is uplifted. We call it the holiday season. The nights have been long. Very soon the shortest day of the year will pass by and the sensation of new life, and hope, and renewed spirit comes into our world through love, peace, socialization and gift giving.
In this writing we are going to recognize a wonderful day within the holiday season enjoyed by Buddhists – the uplifting into enlightenment. Bodhi Day is recognized as the day that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, becoming a Buddha.
The following information is from a website called Bodhi Day [LINK].
“The word bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means “awakening” or “enlightenment”. Buddhists believe that Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment by meditating under a Bodhi tree, or sacred fig tree, after giving up years of ascetic practices. The Bodhi Tree is located in Bodh Gaya, India, and is also known as the Mahabodhi Tree.
“Bodhi Day is a time for Buddhists to renew their dedication to Buddhism and to reaffirm their commitment to enlightenment, compassion, and kindness.”
“Bodhi Day is observed to mark the moment that took place 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and became the Buddha or ‘awakened one’. The story goes that, rejecting the luxurious lifestyle of a prince, Siddharta left the comforts of the palace at the age of 29 and went on a journey of deep introspection to seek meaning in life.
“He meditated in Bodh Gaya, a town in northeastern India, under a Peepal tree (a species of Banyan fig), now famously known as the Bodhi Tree, and resolved to continue meditating until he achieved ‘bodhi’ (‘enlightenment’). He attained bodhi at the age of 35, after 49 days of continuous meditation. He was now able to see how everyone and everything was connected, and therefore reached a state of enlightenment that would lead him to create the Four Noble Truths: Dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), Samudaya (arising), Nirodha (cessation), and Magga (path) in which the Eightfold Path is set out.
How Do People Celebrate?
Throughout the month there will be Bodhi tree plantings, and the planting ceremony usually will be accompanied by a tea ceremony. Also during the month people will burn incense and put up multi-colored lights.
On the day of December 8th, Buddhists will meditate, study the universal truth or law (dharma) and chant sutras, which are Buddhist texts. It is very important to perform kind acts toward other beings.
December 8th is the date of Bodhi Day in the Gregorian calendar. For the celebrants that follow the lunar calendar, January 7th, 2025 is Bodhi Day. That is the case In China, South Korea and Vietnam. Bodhi Day is on December 8th in Japan but it is not an official holiday. Only Buddhists, who make up about 34% of the country’s population, observe the day.
Celebrating the Holidays
To all who practice Buddhism, we wish you a wonderful Bodhi Day, with the deepest respect. May we all become enlightened to the reality that at Heart, we are One. To all of us, enjoying the season of giving, a new year, and the return of the light – happy holidays.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
Every year we like to visit some of our American B Corporations to see what they’re offering to us as holiday gifts. The listing we have utilized in this writing is found every year at BCorporation.net. They always have wonderful holiday recommendations, so we picked out five very interesting offerings to pass along to our readers.
AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, and very glad to be in such good company. As a B Corp, AMS is focused on four stakeholders, i.e. the environment, our employees, the community and our clients. The businesses we will link readers to have similar commitments as you will see, and each one has chosen a specific product to offer. Before getting into the gifts, we wanted to ask Google… why should we shop with a B Corporation? Surprisingly we were given a very thorough answer!
Why Shop B Corps
“You should shop at B Corps because they are businesses verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, meaning when you buy from them, you are supporting companies that prioritize positive impact on people and the planet beyond just profit, by actively working towards ethical practices like fair trade, employee wellbeing, and sustainable operations; essentially allowing you to use your purchasing power to drive positive change.
“B Corps undergo a rigorous certification process to ensure they meet high standards across various areas like worker treatment, community involvement, environmental impact, and business practices. B Corps are required to publicly disclose information about their social and environmental performance, allowing consumers to make informed choices. By choosing B Corps, you are supporting businesses that actively work to solve societal and environmental issues through their operations. B Corps prioritize purpose alongside profit, meaning they consider the impact of their business decisions on stakeholders beyond just shareholders.”
Google’s answer to “why shop with B Corps” is a very good explanation of what AMS Fulfillment does – business with purpose alongside profit!! Below we present five businesses and gift ideas from a list of 25 available on the website!
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Our first visit is to a website called “Coradorables”. [LINK] We will quote from the B Corp website some information about the company.
Small Business, Women-Owned, Black-Owned, AAPI-Owned, Indigenous-Owned, Owned by a Person with a Disability
This heirloom-quality Hawaiian shirt called a Kalani Aloha shirt, features 100% cotton and upcycled coconut husk buttons. The design is inspired by the protea flower, which originates from South Africa and represents change and hope. Coradorables is a family-run brand made and designed in Honolulu. Purchases support locally owned Black, Indigenous, and People of Color businesses and local charities.
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The next B Corp is called Oolie [LINK] and the product they’re promoting is a gift bag with items for a newborn – they offer five choices. The creator of the business tells us she was focused upon improving her children’s sleep when she created her store. The following description is from the B Corp website.
Small Business, Women-Owned
Give something special to the new parents or newborn in your life. This gift package has a baby hat and bodysuit, baby blanket, and convertible bag made of medium-weight canvas. All items are 100% organic cotton that meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and is free of dyes and chemicals. They’re also machine washable and designed for comfort, making things a bit easier for baby and family.
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Our third B Corp is called “United by Blue” [LINK]. They are promoting a carry-on duffle bag that is made of recycled plastics. The following descriptive text is from the B Corporation website.
Small Business
Perfect for weekends away, this sturdy and stylish duffle resists water, stains, and tears. It’s also as impactful as it is durable. The body of this 100% recycled bag is made from 20 plastic bottles, and the webbing is made from recycled nylon. United by Blue creates gear that helps to protect our planet through low-impact manufacturing. For every product sold, the B Corp removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways.
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Our fourth B Corp is called “Here I Am” [LINK] and they have put together a lovely gift box called the Lavender and Roses Gift Box. The B Corp website describes them as follows:
Small Business, Women-Owned, Latinx-Owned
The bath bomb, candle, and lotion in this gift box are designed for deep relaxation — during the holidays or anytime. Each item is infused with organic lavender scents and enriched with rose blossom botanical oils to soothe the senses and hydrate skin. This box supports women-owned small businesses that champion non-toxic, sustainable practices while focusing on reducing waste and eliminating single-use plastic.
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As our final offering, we are looking at a company that makes bags called Sapahn [LINK]. The product they are promoting is very attractive, and the company has a focus we appreciate.
Small Business, Women-Owned
This versatile mini bag can be worn as a clutch, crossbody, or belt bag. It’s designed to fit the essentials with just the right amount of flair. All Sapahn bags are responsibly sourced, designed, and created by artisans around the world. This women-owned business centers craft, human rights, and fair wages to produce beautiful products that are made to last.
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We hope you enjoy looking into these businesses that strive to live up to B Corporation standards toward the environment, the community, the valued employees and of course their customers! We encourage a visit to the B Corporation website [LINK] where there are 25 B Corps promoting their holiday gifts.
During the month of November we talked about a number of commemorative days, but there is one we missed. It’s not a well-known event but it is deeply inspiring – November is National Hip Hop History Month, as declared by Congress in 2021.
Music is Culture
Back in November 2001, DJ Kool Herc and Rocky Bucano began petitioning for congress to recognize November as the month to celebrate Hip Hop culture. Congress did recognize it years later with Resolution 331, a bill co-sponsored by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and passed through the Senate under Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) direction.
What is the importance of Hip Hop and why should its history be commemorated? Let’s look. We know that when the Trans-Atlantic slave trade took place, the men and women who were captured and enslaved lost their language and culture, their music and spiritual beliefs – their human identity. With these human rights destroyed, all that remained for hundreds of years was a ‘slave’ identity.
Looking into Black music we find an absolute wealth of musical styles, thoughts and feelings, rhythms and melodies. We have the Blues, Jazz, Rock & Roll, R&B, Reggae, and Hip-Hop. All of these musical styles came into the world as creations of a People with no inherited culture other than what was within the heart and soul. We are grateful for these gifts that so deeply impacted the American culture and generations of Americans.
The Uniqueness of Hip-Hop
As we know, Blues and R&B stir the emotions or feelings, and Hip Hop stirs the mind and speaks to the culture. From The Source [LINK] we read the following: “Hip hop, born in the Bronx in the late 1970s, has transcended its humble beginnings to become a global cultural force. While the genre has always been celebrated and revered, it wasn’t until recently that it gained official recognition through National Hip Hop Month. This November, we delve into the origin and importance of this cultural celebration.”
The article goes on to talk about the origin and impact of Hip-Hop as a means of communication.
“The roots of hip-hop as a cultural movement date back to the South Bronx in the early 1970s. A combination of turntablism, emceeing, breakdancing, and graffiti art gave birth to this new form of expression. Hip-hop rapidly spread across the boroughs of New York City and beyond, becoming a platform for marginalized communities to voice their experiences, challenges, and hopes.”
The article speaks about Hip-Hop as bringing about cultural preservation, empowerment and education, social and political commentary, and having an economic impact as well. What did Hip-Hop express that wasn’t contained in the previous musical expressions? The article explains it as follows:
“Hip-hop is a powerful tool for empowerment and education. It allows individuals to express themselves creatively, build self-confidence, and learn about social and political issues. National Hip Hop Month highlights the importance of hip-hop as an educational tool, inspiring the next generation to engage with this dynamic art form.”
The article goes on to speak about diversity and the political realities. “Hip-hop is a diverse and inclusive culture that brings people of all backgrounds together. National Hip Hop Month recognizes the contribution of artists from various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, emphasizing the importance of diversity and unity.
“Hip hop has been a vehicle for addressing important social and political issues. From N.W.A.’s “F*** Tha Police” to Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” hip hop has been a platform for artists to speak out against injustice and inequality. National Hip Hop Month highlights the genre’s role as a social and political commentator.”
Speaking Out
When Hip-Hop was first created it was used as a means of speaking out against racism, prejudice in policing, economic challenges… and it was very effective. America had to realize the lingering damages of its past. We have come a long way since the 1970s and we’re grateful for that reality.
From the article we will conclude with this quote: “National Hip Hop Month is not just a celebration of music and dance; it’s a celebration of culture, diversity, empowerment, and expression. It recognizes the art form’s influence on society, from political activism to economic growth. As we celebrate National Hip Hop Month this November, let’s remember the pioneers, artists, and communities that have shaped this incredible cultural movement and continue influencing the world.”
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of September: JADA T., ROBERT T., BRIELLE C., HORTENCIA C., EDUARDO L., FRANK K., OSCAR C., and GABRIEL G.
In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them. Every month we see our employees working hard with such outstanding dedication and we are continually impressed by the results they produce!
Congratulations to this month’s winners! All Winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate, T-Shirt, and Quarterly Celebration Lunch!
JADA T., Operations Supervisor (11/01/2021) Boulden
I am pleased to nominate Jada for Employee of the Month for her exceptional performance and dedication over the past month. Jada has consistently gone above and beyond in her role, showing an outstanding level of commitment and teamwork! She has consistently exceeded expectations and has been very efficient as well. She consistently brings a positive attitude to the workplace and is a true team player, always willing to lend a helping hand to everyone. Her ability to collaborate and communicate effectively has been instrumental in the success of several projects here at AMS. Jada’s work ethic, dedication, and positive influence on the team make her the perfect candidate for Employee of the Month. – Anthony T.
ROBERT T., Inventory Receiving Manager (11/30/2020) Churchman’s
We would like to nominate Robert for our Churchman’s employee of the month. Robert is our inventory/receiving manager, which is a challenging enough position in any warehouse, but add it to clients that expect perfection, and Robert does his best to deliver! He is always coming up with some tool in Excel or some random function to help make everyone’s job easier and more efficient. Rob not only opened Churchman’s from day one by himself but he has continued to make it into the safe, process-driven, well-oiled machine it is today. He is personable with the staff and always willing to take time to train someone or assist in whatever capacity necessary. We are very fortunate Rob has stepped into this position and continues to grace us with his presence and silly smile every day!! – Sarah M.
BRIELLE C., Jr. Order Waver (10/19/2020) CPM
Brielle has been with AMS since 2020 where she started working as an associate on the floor. Recently Brielle joined the CPM program and hasn’t stopped excelling since. She plays a major role in making sure all the orders get allocated in the most efficient manner possible. She has gone above and beyond in her role and continues to offer support to all clients on both coasts. Brielle is always offering to stay late and work weekends to make sure all needs are met. We as a whole, at CPM, thank you for your hard work and can’t wait to watch you grow! – Dallas U.
HORTENCIA C., Operations Associate II (12/05/2003) Headquarters WH
Hortencia is very dependable and eager to learn. In the past few weeks, under new leadership, she took the time to learn how to use the handheld/scanner and picked up the skill quickly. Now she can take on large orders with no issues and helps the b2b team get orders done faster. She took a challenge and overcame it to help the team and learn a new skill along the way. – Norma S.
EDUARDO L., Operations Associate II (07/05/2022) Livingston
Eduardo plays a big role in Livingston’s B2B department. Eduardo does just about everything. He picks and lifts the Diver, loads trucks, works the dock and B2B line for three big clients at AMS. Eduardo is great at multitasking and will take on any project given to him. He has great attendance and will stay until every project is complete Thank you, Eduardo, for all your hard work, commitment, and amazing work ethic!! We all APPRECIATE you here at LIV Eduardo! – Saul M.
FRANK K., Operations Lead (07/06/2020), New Holland
Frank started with us in July of 2020, working summers and coming in seasonally while still in high school. He then decided to return full-time after graduation and it’s lucky for us that he did! He worked very hard and earned the title of operations lead for two clients. Frank is quick-witted, always coming up with creative, effective ways to solve issues. His response times not only to daily orders but especially to priorities are impressive, often receiving special requests from his clients well into the day. Frank frequently surpasses expectations under tedious outlines continually meeting strict deadlines. Everyone who works alongside him says he is a pleasure to work with and I agree! He is always seen putting in tons of effort while maintaining a good attitude and, in return setting a great example for his team and peers. Thank you, Frank for all you do! We are so very proud of you and your accomplishments!!! – Jade B.
OSCAR C., Operations Lead I (10/14/2024) Williams
We would like to nominate Oscar for Employee of the Month for his hard work and dedication. Oscar started as a temp and was working as a data entry for the receiving team and he has now moved up to an Operations lead. Oscar is always willing to learn more about the company and the operations side. He is a fast learner. Oscar shows up to work with a positive attitude and is always willing to help others. He is always motivating the team with his great sense of humor, and we are grateful to have him a part as our team. – Cristy G.
GABRIEL G., Operations Associate II (09/19/2024) Witherspoon
Gabriel started with the agency and now is part of the company. He is an outstanding employee who comes to work every day ready to work. Gabriel does a phenomenal job with cleaning the lines and building boxes for each client. I am very proud to have him as part of my team. Thank you for all your hard work it does not go unnoticed. – Edith S.
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To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
We asked the question… “who created Black Friday” and Google came up with a whole lot of answers. We all know what Black Friday is… and Cyber Monday too – it’s when the holiday shopping season begins!! There are lots of ‘good deals’ and the shopping is intense, so how did this ‘good idea’ come to be? We’ll look around for some answers.
The Origin of the Term
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday is the following Monday. Some say that the origin of the ‘day’ was when the crowds swarmed Philadelphia stores prior to attending the Army-Navy football game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This story says the Philadelphia police coined the term as they were overwhelmed by the crowds taking advantage of retailers’ reduced prices. This was in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Others say that the ‘day’ came about on the day after Thanksgiving when retailers began to turn a profit and go from being in the ‘red’ to being in the ‘black’. According to the History channel [LINK], there is another origin of the term.
“The first recorded use of the term “Black Friday” was applied not to post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping but to financial crisis: specifically, the crash of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. Two notoriously ruthless Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as much as they could of the nation’s gold, hoping to drive the price sky-high and sell it for astonishing profits. On that Friday in September, the conspiracy finally unraveled, sending the stock market into free-fall and bankrupting everyone from Wall Street barons to farmers.”
According to the History website, the market crash in September of 1869 was the first use of the term. But the thing that brought it to life with regard to shopping and good deals after Thanksgiving, was the crowds in Philadelphia on the Friday prior to the Army-Navy football game. Apparently the ‘in the red’ and ‘in the black’ was made up to put a positive spin on the term. The following is from the History website once again:
“The most commonly repeated story behind the Thanksgiving shopping-related Black Friday tradition links it to retailers. As the story goes, after an entire year of operating at a loss (“in the red”) stores would supposedly earn a profit (“went into the black”) on the day after Thanksgiving, because holiday shoppers blew so much money on discounted merchandise. Though it’s true that retail companies used to record losses in red and profits in black when doing their accounting, this version of Black Friday’s origin is the officially sanctioned—but inaccurate—story behind the tradition.”
A Good Time to Shop!
Black Friday has blossomed into a four-day shopping spree, i.e. Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday. The excitement for the weekend is so great, that people head out after Thanksgiving dinner to get a super low price on a product they’ve been wanting to buy. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter that much how the weekend event began… it is a GOOD TIME to do some shopping!!
We asked Google how to prepare for Black Friday and we got an excellent answer: “To prepare for Black Friday, you should: plan your shopping budget in advance, research deals early, compare prices across stores, bookmark desired products, consider early bird sales, prioritize customer service, create contingency plans for potential issues, and utilize social media to stay informed about deals and promotions; for businesses, this means assessing your checkout process, offering free shipping, rewarding loyal customers with exclusive deals, and monitoring analytics to optimize your marketing strategy.”
On Monday, the 25th of November we’ll be entering Black Friday Week… yes the ‘day’ has become a week. Black Friday has no negative connotations anymore – instead it’s simply a really fun shopping time when the chances are good shoppers will find a ‘deal’ or three. It’s time to enjoy some bargains: Ready, Set, Go!
We’ll Be Helping
AMS Fulfillment has been handling peak season for 20+ years, so we do know how to make it flow for our clients. We look forward to helping our clients have a very successful 2024 holiday season.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
We made it through 2024! This was quite a year, but in truth, every year has its challenges and rewards. We deeply appreciate our employees, our clients, our communities and our Earth!! On we go to a beautiful New Year.
