News

We would like nothing more than to publish a hopeful, helpful, uplifting blog on the subject of suicide prevention. But is this a subject we can feel hopeful about? How can we help to prevent suicide? Surely the answer has to be found in communication, empathy, and sincere care.

September 10^th is designated “World Suicide Prevention Day” by the World Health Organization (WHO). We know that with regard to suicides per year, the number is high. The WHO tells us that currently there are more than 700,000 suicides per year worldwide, and we know that each suicide profoundly affects many more people.

The organization set a theme for the day: “Creating Hope Through Action is the triennial theme for the World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021-2023. This theme serves as a powerful call to action and reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and that through our actions we can encourage hope and strengthen prevention.”

The purpose is presented: “The 10 September each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduces stigma and raises awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable. By encouraging understanding, reaching in and sharing experiences, we want to give people the confidence to take action. To prevent suicide requires us to become a beacon of light to those in pain.”

Surely every one of us wants to be that beacon of light.

Data shows that higher rates of suicide can be found among military veterans after discharge, with veterans 1.5 times more likely to die of suicide, and female veterans 2.2 times more likely. Data also shows higher suicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native people, followed by Black and Hispanic people. In the years following the pandemic, suicide among Black people increased by 19.2% and Hispanic people 6.8%.

Something significant to note and remember is that in 2022 the government introduced a new crisis number – 988 – for callers who are suicidal or experiencing a mental health emergency. The call goes to a crisis counselor at a local crisis call center.

How to Help

The WHO didn’t offer recommendations on how to help but we found a list at the CDC of actions that friends, families and employers can learn from. They call it “Strategies to Prevent Suicide.”

The first set of strategies makes absolute sense: 1) Strengthen economic supports, 2) Improve household financial security and 3) Stabilize housing. For so many people financial insecurity and fears can lead to giving up hope. These fears can be at the root of suicidal thoughts.

The next set of recommendations makes sense too, for families, friends, employers and communities: 1) Create protective environments, 2) Reduce access to lethal means among persons at risk of suicide, 3) Create healthy organizational policies and culture, 4) Reduce substance use through community-based policies and practices.

These next recommendations apply to the medical establishment, communities and employers: 1) Improve access and delivery of suicide care, 2) Cover mental health conditions in health insurance policies, 3) Increase provider availability in underserved areas, 4) Provide rapid and remote access to help, 5) Create safer suicide care through systems change.

There are seven sets of strategies, and we won’t outline all of the recommendations here. Readers can visit the CDC for the full article. We would like to list a few more that touch us: 1) Teach coping and problem-solving skills, 2) Teach parenting skills to improve family relationships, 3) Identify and support people at risk, 4) Provide therapeutic approaches.

We understand that possibly the isolation of the lockdown increased desperation and thus suicides. That experience certainly was traumatic and led to loneliness, economic distress and fear. As a result of what we have been through, it seems vital to focus on communication and some of the other recommendations that just make sense.

Help from AMS

At AMS we do all we can to help employees who are either suffering themselves, or have a family member who is in need. We seek to create a supportive environment, with healthy organizational policies and culture, we train supervisors for mental health awareness, and we provide access to help through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Through the EAP, offered free to employees and their households, help is available. AMS employees have access to EAP licensed mental health professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and this includes eligible dependents. The EAP also provides financial tools and resources, help with work/life balance, help with substance use and other addictions, and help with dependent and elder care resources.

We want nothing more than to help prevent suicide by learning the warning signs, offering help, and listening and caring. As said in the beginning, surely the answer to prevention can be found in communication, empathy, and sincere care. Employees are encouraged to contact HR for more information on EAP. We care.

It was 65 years ago, September 9th, 1957, when the Civil Rights Act was passed. What does this mean to AMS Fulfillment in 2023? Let’s look at the historical picture, and then look into the progress.  

Most of us see the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as the one affecting the right to vote and forbidding discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as race in hiring, promoting, and firing. The 1964 Act strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and the desegregation of schools. What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 do?

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 protected voting rights and established the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice. It was President Dwight Eisenhower who signed the Bill. Interesting to note that this was the first civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, which would have been the Civil Rights Act of 1871.

We asked Google, what was the reason for the Civil Rights Act of 1957. “Partly in an effort to defuse calls for more far-reaching reforms, President Eisenhower proposed a civil rights bill that would increase the protection of African American voting rights. By 1957, only about 20% of black people were registered to vote.”

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 prohibit? It made it clear that no one was allowed to threaten or coerce or attempt to intimidate or interfere with the right of others to vote.

Now that we have glimpsed the historical journey of voting rights, let’s look at the non-discrimination rights. “Title VII is a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination in virtually every employment circumstance on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, or national origin. In general, Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees.”

So there we have it – the ongoing journey of human beings becoming more human.

AMS Fulfillment joined this ‘higher standards’ journey upon its establishment more than 20 years ago. We became a B Corporation seven years ago because it fit for us – we very much appreciate the requirements set by the B the Change organization toward fairness and a just and equitable world.

Non-discrimination was written into law in 1957 and 1964 and law goes part of the way. The rest of the way has to do with realizing that by applying a higher standard, a negative can become a positive.

The B Corporation says, we want Diversity in our workforce as that makes for a stronger and better, and happier workforce. We want Equity in our hiring, promotion and business practices because equity is simply being fair and impartial. Thirdly, the B Corporation says, we want Inclusion. What could inclusion mean other than we want to include rather than exclude, and we take steps to do so.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is referred to as DE&I. AMS has added another word – Justice. JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. What does JEDI mean? It means what it says… we want a just world, where things are fair, no one is discriminated against, and where we include all who want to be included. We want to B the Change.

In 2023 we are able to look back and see the gradual changes in the American culture, politics, education and businesses over the years. We are so grateful to see the shifting of the culture, moving from inhumanity to human respect. Of course at AMS we celebrate the Civil Rights Act of 1957. It was a step in the right direction and there was progress achieved because of it. And the progress continued as the people marched and lobbied and required change!

The Library of Congress website offers information from the time period: “The NAACP’s legal strategy against segregated education culminated in the 1954 Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. African Americans gained the formal, if not the practical, right to study alongside their white peers in primary and secondary schools. The decision fueled an intransigent, violent resistance during which Southern states used a variety of tactics to evade the law.”

You can read the full article HERE:

Let’s be the change we wish to see in the world and start where we are.

The first Friday of September is National Food Bank Day, and that commemorative day has passed. We’re going to celebrate it anyway, belatedly, as food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters come from the best part of us – our kindness, care and respect for our fellow human beings. And there is one more reason to talk about food banks now as pantries and shelters do need our help.

As we all know, grocery prices are at an all-time high and these high prices affect low-income families heavily. Demand at food banks is increasing because of this. And the high prices make it harder for food banks to buy food to meet their needs as well.

According to Feeding America, “…more than 46 million Americans, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors, rely on food pantries and meal programs to feed themselves and their families.”

Donations of nonperishable and unspoiled perishable food from homes and businesses help stock the shelves at food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters. In doing our research we were happy to see that California now requires supermarkets to give away, not throw away, food that is unsold but fine to eat.

Food pantries and food banks typically provide free food for people to prepare at home. Soup kitchens and shelters provide prepared food to those in need. These non-profits are often affiliated with faith-based organizations and rely heavily on volunteers. Some households may turn to food pantries only in times of emergency, but other households use food pantries on a more regular basis.

What food items are needed the most? The following list is from Feeding America.

“Basically, any food that is “shelf-stable” or nonperishable – you can keep it in your pantry and it won’t go bad. And remember, only donate food that hasn’t reached its “sell-by” date yet. Specifically, food banks often need items like: peanut butter, canned soup, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned stew, canned fish, canned beans, pasta (most prefer whole grain), rice (most prefer brown rice).”

There are food banks and pantries that stock flour and sugar, olive oil, dressings… foods that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen. And there are others that accept frozen and fresh food, so it’s a good idea to check the website or call to make sure what is accepted and needed.

Also check to see if donations of toiletries, baby supplies, toothbrushes, hand wipes and other similar items are needed. If you’re considering whether to donate items or cash, it can be cost-effective and empowering to donate cash. Nonprofits typically can purchase items they need in bulk, at a discount, and with less sales tax.

AMS Fulfillment has long been a supporter of the community through donations to food banks. We also get a great deal of enjoyment from special holiday food drives. The following food banks are our recommendations.  

Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, Valencia, CA

“In 2018, the SCV Food Pantry had over 23,000 client visits, averaging nearly 2,000 client engagements each month. Our goal is to help each person who comes through our doors. We serve the elderly, often on fixed incomes and faced with the choice of medicine or food. We serve working families who earn paychecks that cannot support their basic needs. We serve the injured, the disabled, the homeless, and the unemployed – we serve those living in uncertainty, looking for assistance and a better life.” Visit the website HERE.

CrossNet Ministries, New Holland, PA

“Food & Nutrition Programs: CrossNet Ministries seeks to provide access to food as well as to promote education and healthy living. CrossNet provides programs for free food/supplies at the Food Pantry, Power Pack Program, and Summer Lunches. CrossNet also offers assistance applying for SNAP, WIC and School Meals as well as cooking and nutrition opportunities.” Visit the website HERE.

Sunday Breakfast Mission, Wilmington, DE

“Sunday Breakfast Mission provides temporary emergency shelter, nutritious meals, and hygiene materials to assist you in your time of need. Individuals who stay with us through our temporary emergency shelter are known as “Overnight Guests”. We operate two shelters one for men and one for women, and women with children. Sunday Breakfast Mission serves the homeless, addicted and impoverished through Christ-centered programs to meet their spiritual, social and physical needs.” Visit the website HERE.

We hope you will consider donating to the food bank of your choice, knowing that there are families very much in need of your food contributions as grocery prices rise. And, as we appreciate food banks, let’s give a thumb’s up to AMS for its on-site food bank for the use of employees who need help with lunch. 

With gratitude for the human heart, thank you.

When Labor Day comes around it signals a lot of things. After Labor Day, AMS will enter its peak season, so it’s a ‘get ready’ signal. After Labor Day the seasons begin to change and we all know it’s a ‘here comes Fall’ signal. School is back in session, Halloween is around the corner, Thanksgiving will come soon.

Labor Day weekend signals it all, plus, it’s a 3-day weekend for some so that means doing something fun with family, or maybe ‘taking a break from labor’ as that’s what it’s about – the workforce – the laborers.

The Department of Labor website puts it this way: “Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”

AMS Workers

This holiday is in recognition of the men and women who keep things rolling – who do the job. AMS has 633 employees with 528 working in our warehouses and 95 working in administrative jobs. The workers in the warehouse are the backbone of the company as they directly serve the clients. When the job is done right, and the clients are happy, the workers get the credit. They did it. Thank You!

The administrators are workers too. What would AMS be without its technology geniuses who develop the information systems. Thank you to them, and to the ones who do the accounting and sales and customer service and shipping. And thank you to upper management and the CEO. Running it all isn’t an easy job, and that’s an understatement. 

How the Holiday Began

The individual states recognized Labor Day first, before the federal government did. Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, and that was in 1887. That year four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed laws creating a Labor Day holiday. Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September a legal holiday honoring the American labor force.

There is some disagreement on who first proposed the holiday for workers. Some show that it was Peter McGuire of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, but many believe that machinist Matthew Maguire, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research shows that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. It was organized and conducted by the Central Labor Union. They held a second holiday the next year on September 5. Two years later 23 more states had adopted the holiday and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law making the first Monday in September a national holiday. This was on June 28, 1894.

People celebrated with parades and parties. According to the DOL, the first proposal for a holiday suggested that the day should be observed with… “a street parade to exhibit “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.”

We Thank You

Labor is the reason that Americans enjoy a higher standard of living and the greatest production in the world. “It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.”

Those sentiments are very true and well-spoken. At AMS we truly value our workers. AMS holds employees to be stakeholders in its business decisions. Employee safety is a #1 concern, and free training and education is offered to all employees. We want our employees to be happy with their employment, and able to advance because of it. B Corporations work to B the Change.

Big gratitude to the 348 women working at AMS! You are the heart of our AMS culture and we thank you! It’s Women’s Equality Day today, August 26, and we want to give you a salute.

We can thank Representative Bella Abzug who championed a bill in the U.S. Congress in 1971 to designate August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” This day commemorates the 1920 adoption of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution. The 19^th Amendment prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.

It’s interesting to contemplate the dedication, strength and spirit of the women who fought this fight for us. They faced great challenges. The time period was the early 1900s, so that would mean around 1825-30. Women couldn’t inherit property, they got paid half of a man’s wages and they had no right to vote. In some countries (Finland, New Zealand and the UK) they had legalized voting for women. Those victories inspired the movement in the US.

In the U.S., it wasn’t until 1878 that the 19^th Amendment was first introduced. At that time it failed to gain any traction. After WWI, when women’s contribution could no longer be ignored, the right to vote gained enough support for the 19^th Amendment to be passed. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates its passage, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

The Tennessee Story

For the Amendment to become law, it had to be ratified by 36 States. Tennessee became the state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920. Here’s an interesting story about that time, from ConstitutionCenter.org.

“By the middle of 1920, 35 states had voted to ratify the amendment, but four other states—Connecticut, Vermont, North Carolina and Florida—refused to consider the resolution for various reasons, while the remaining states had rejected the amendment altogether.

“So, Tennessee became the battleground to obtain the three-fourths of states needed to ratify the amendment. Harry T. Burn, a 24-year-old legislator, was set to vote against the amendment, but switched his vote on the Tennessee state house floor at the urging of his mother, assuring the 19th amendment’s ratification.

“Yet, even after Burn’s deciding vote, anti-suffrage legislators tried desperately to nullify the previous vote.”

Join us in thanking Harry for listening to his Mother.

Back in 1920, Secretary Colby’s attorney reviewed the documents that arrived from Tennessee. Section 106(b) of the United States Code spells out the finality of the process:

“The Archivist of the United States shall forthwith cause the amendment to be published, with his certificate, specifying the States by which the same may have been adopted, and that the same has become valid, to all intents and purposes, as a part of the Constitution of the United States.”

As a footnote, there is some interesting info that not too many people realize… it has yet to be published. More information on the ongoing efforts can be found at the League of Women Voters website HERE.

Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of July: Lucia C., Elmer M., Elizabeth S., Maria A., Damion D., Tia W., and Kenneth S.

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 so 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! 

** ** **

Lucia C., Operations Associate II, (07/19/2021)
HQ, Valencia CA

We nominate Lucia because she is always helpful, always smiling. She is very proactive and willing to learn new things. She is attentive to directions and encourages all to do their best. Lucia is an efficient and fast worker who is a team player and we all can depend on her to do the right thing. She is AMS all the way and we’re happy to choose her for July employee of the month.

Elmer M., Operations Associate II, (05/05/2022)
LIV, Valencia, CA

Elmer is an outstanding employee here at Livingston. He comes to work every day and will give 100% effort. Elmer first started in our Pick Pack and Shipping Department and has now moved to our Receiving and Inventory team. Elmer demonstrates amazing urgency, dedication, attendance, work ethic and is a true team player. He is definitely my choice for July employee of the month.

Elizabeth S., Inventory Receiving Specialist I, (11/22/2022)
WIL, Valencia, CA

I nominate Elizabeth because she came to AMS back in November 2022 with no warehouse experience, and she had to learn the processes for all areas in our busy time of the 4th Quarter. She was able to learn quickly. Elizabeth has been helping in the receiving and inventory area and has shown dedication to her work. She always works with a positive attitude and is willing to help others. She is a very hard-working employee, and we are grateful to have her as part of our team.

Maria A., Janitor I, (03/30/2018)
WIT, Valencia, CA

Maria is always going above and beyond cleaning stuff no one else does. I would like to nominate her for employee of the month because she is always eager to help when we need the special extra touches for events and whatever the case may be.

   

Damion D., Operations Associate III, (08/16/2010)
New Holland, PA

Damion is my choice for employee of the month because he has been a very dedicated and hard-working employee for the team for over 13 years. He’s not afraid to put in long hours and be flexible with his hours any time we have a big project going on. Thanks, Dame for all your hard work!

Tia W., Operations Associate I, (02/13/2023)
Churchman’s, DE

I nominate Tia from CT B2B because she has moved right into new tasks with ease even though it isn’t always easy. She has started being our freight coordinator and handling QC orders, on top of always being positive and always willing to help others. She’s deserves to be our July employee of the month!

Kenneth S., Operations Associate I, (04/10/2023)
Newark, DE

Kenneth started here at AMS cutting boxes up, sweeping floors, and now he runs the dock and loads/unloads trucks. He deserves to be employee of the month. Kenneth always goes the extra mile to get tasks done, and he is always planning his day out making sure all duties are completed each day. Kenneth has become an important part of our team here in Newark and that is why I am nominating Kenneth for this. Great job Kenneth!

** ** **

To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You! Keep up the great work!

We can’t let this day pass without giving some loving attention to all of the Seniors we know, among our employees, among our clients, and in our communities. National Senior Citizens Day is also World Senior Citizens day, so this is a global commemoration in honor of all of our Seniors. Gratitude is the Attitude!

We’re going to begin by utilizing a quote from census.gov which feels truly appropriate. “National Senior Citizens Day recognizes seniors who have spent their lives contributing to society and have impacted everyone’s lives for the better. Improved healthcare has changed demographics and increased productivity of older citizens. The country’s foundation and stable sectors are the result of the hard work of our senior citizens and they deserve all our gratitude.”

President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 that marked August 21 as the day Seniors will be celebrated. His words at that commemoration are inspiring as well. “We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older — places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity.”

There are many Seniors living very productive lives far into their elder years, maintaining good health and strength, and enjoying life fully. We have Seniors among our governmental leaders and they are serving with wisdom, experience and care. Around the world we have Seniors at top levels in our corporations, businesses, places of worship and in all types of employment. We are grateful for the Seniors working at AMS. Experience is a treasure and we very much value diversity in our workforce.

It is also true that many Seniors need the services of community organizations. In alignment with President Reagan’s statement, we would like to uplift a community nonprofit organization that AMS has supported for many years, Senior Concerns.

Senior Concerns Adult Day Center offers activities and programs for Seniors with cognitive or physical impairments. They also deliver hot lunches and evening meals to homebound Seniors with their Meals on Wheels program, helping Seniors to remain in their homes for as long as possible. They provide caregiver support, legal and financial advocate services and volunteer opportunities. The organization’s website speaks of the work they do, and we encourage you to visit. HERE

“We are now a society of more old than young, necessitating a new world order for aging. At Senior Concerns, seniors come alive with enjoyment, affection and contentment, challenging the old age paradigms of losing one’s mind, capabilities or social connectedness. Community members unite to serve the very people who helped build the life we have today. Family caregivers are valued and celebrated. Our lifespans are designed as a process of continuous growth and development. At Senior Concerns it doesn’t end when we get old.”

Looking back from where we are today, August 21 of 2023, we are aware that Seniors sustained a heavy blow during the pandemic, and we mourn the loss of so many. AMS did its best during that time with free vaccination clinics on campus for employees, their families and the community as well as many other efforts to protect employees. But as much as we cared, lives were lost. They will always be appreciated.

As for today, how can we show our gratitude for the wisdom of the elders and regard for them whether in our families, communities or workplace? Give them your time in conversation and listen. Ask if there is anything they need help with and when they tell you, do your best.

Throughout our history, Seniors have achieved much for our families, our communities, and our country. That gives us ample reason this year to reserve August 21 as a time to give a little extra thought and care to the Seniors near us who mean so much to us.

World Humanitarian Day is an observance created by the United Nations to honor 22 UN humanitarian workers who lost their lives in a bombing attack on the UN Headquarters in Baghdad. It was 20 years ago this year. In honor of the workers, the following paragraph is offered from UN.org:

“Whenever and wherever people are in need, there are others who help them. They are the affected people themselves – always first to respond when disaster strikes – and a global community that supports them as they recover. Far from the spotlight and out of the headlines, they come together to ease suffering and bring hope.”

Humanitarians are people who step up to save and protect lives and deliver the basic necessities of life, working alongside the communities they serve. We are watching a humanitarian crisis as we speak in Maui, and we’re deeply grateful to the people who have come to help, those who have donated food and supplies, all workers who come to the scene of the tragic disaster. The Maui fires took many lives, destroyed property and the historical evidence of the people who have lived in the area for years. It is devastating, and our hearts go out to all who have experienced such great loss.

While the UN isn’t involved in the Maui crisis, the men and women and young people volunteering and helping and searching there are doing humanitarian work. We do remember the devastating Haiti earthquake and the UN involvement there. This Maui fire seems equally as shocking and heart-wrenching as we read and watch the news.

Many of us can remember the bomb attack, 20 years ago, on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad. It was shocking news, a bomb destroying the UN Headquarters, taking the lives of the workers and killing the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq. When the World Humanitarian Day was established five years later the Resolution was written to give special recognition to all humanitarian workers, promoting humanitarian causes and working to give assistance when there is a crisis. The crisis in Iraq was due to war, and the UN system promised to, “…redouble its efforts to achieve peace, security and development while honoring the lives of those who perished and the thousands of other UN staff members who have given their lives while serving in the cause of peace.”

All we can do on this day, at this time, is think of Maui and express our gratitude to the people who have hurried to help.

The newspaper, Hawaii Civil Beat, we see the following, “Organizations across Hawaii are mobilizing to help fire victims after thousands were displaced on Maui.” The newspaper goes on to list 12 organizations including the Hawaii Community Foundation, Maui Food Bank, the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Maui Humane Society and World Central Kitchen plus six more. Read the full article HERE.

These are the Humanitarians and we thank them and lift up their efforts to truly help on a commemorative day honoring them and their spirit.

August is Civility Month! That’s news to most of us! Let’s start with the appropriate question – what exactly is civility? It sounds like an old-fashioned term, and it definitely is. In considering what is civility, our minds go to the term, civilization. Civility is a term given to people who belong to a particular civilization? Let’s look at the history.

How the Word Changed

Apparently it comes from a Latin word, and the concept evolved over time. Starting in ancient Rome and Greece, the first use was to describe the new republic. It made reference to men with property, who had the rights and duties of citizenship.

Then moving to France, the word changed again. It wasn’t about citizen’s rights, but instead was about behavior and dress and speech between the French lords and those who served them.

Then, during the Renaissance the term rose up a bit to mean the sense of being human and acting with humanity and respect for everyone. The concept also included polished manners and adherence to honor and duty.

Looking at the Changes

Looking at the changes in the meaning of the word civility actually gives us hope that civilizations do evolve as we embrace our humanity. Let’s look at what National Today says about what civility refers to today:

“Today’s meaning of civility is etched in every person’s mind and is a common thread that unites our behavior. As we’re gaining a new understanding of ourselves and the environment around us, we are reaching out to people, sharing our love and care, and being civil to one another. And we still have a long way to go to become a world mostly free of incivility, which is what National Civility Day addresses.”

That’s pretty impressive. Maybe civility would end hunger, bring clean water, end the dumping of toxic waste, end wars, bring justice, move us into a state of brotherhood and sisterhood – we do have a long way to go but as history shows us, we’ve been heading this way for a long time. Of course we can celebrate Civility Month.

What is a Civil Corporation?

What does or what could civility mean to a corporation? We realize our world has a ‘way to go’. That’s why AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation – we want to Be the Change we’d like to see in the world. What change would that be? How about a world where we fulfill the word Civilization. How about a Civil Society, living with respect for one another first and foremost.

A B Corporation shows respect for the community that surrounds it. We see what is needed and what we can provide. We hire people who are having difficulty finding work, we help the homeless, and the seniors, and the families that need food, and we are happy to find ways to help.

What about the environment? We’ve been ‘green’ for a long time, and we keep finding ways to do better. No ‘greenwashing’ here. What about our employees? We want the best for them – safety in their work environment, free higher education, training for promotion, excellent benefits. What about our clients? We show them the respect of a partner – we’re in their corner.

More than One Way to Profit

We do these things not because we are a B Corporation – we are a B Corporation because we do these things. Corporations are thought of as entities dedicated to shareholders, and making a profit above all. And many do put profit above all. Those will be the ones that dispose of their waste in the cheapest possible way, sadly giving no thought or care to their impact on the environment. The corporation that cares about its impact on the environment is civilized.

Our employees have always been high on our list of priorities. There’s no embarrassing safety record here. We spend the time and money needed to keep our environment safe. Discrimination? Not here. We are a very diverse place and we enjoy each other. Great benefits and education, yes, we can afford it. We don’t put profit above the well-being of our corporate family. Never have.

Our community matters to us. We can clearly see there are areas of need and we find ways to help. And our clients are stakeholders in every decision – true partners. We don’t seek financial profit alone, we seek to profit the world we want to see. Imagine a world where all corporations do business like this – that would be a civilized world – true civility.

So… Happy Civility Month – let’s Be the Civilized!

To learn more about B Corporations, click HERE.

For all of our cat lovers… your day has arrived. August 8^th is International Cat Day and we get to brag a little and enjoy some cat facts.

This commemorative day was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. This quote is from them: “International Cat Day takes place on 8 August every year. As custodians of this important day, we’re encouraging cat owners to take five minutes a day to play with their cats to improve their physical health and mental wellbeing. Just like dogs need walking every day, cats need daily play to keep them active and happy.”

No worries – we’ll play with our cats. And we’ll be happy to celebrate a Cat Day, dedicated to learning about these wonderful animals and finding new ways to help, protect and enjoy them. Cats are really spectacular animals, each one with a personality and attitude. They’re inquisitive, independent, adventurous and communicative. Let’s get a glimpse of cat history and then some pointers on how to help stray or feral cats, and finally, an excellent NOVA video about cats.

What is their history?

Most of us know that the historical record of domesticated house cats goes back to Egypt. They are descended from the wildcat, brought indoors (or they invited themselves indoors) at some point. The following is from the National Today website:

“The first historical human record about cats could be found in Ancient Egyptian Civilization’s culture. We all seem to relate cats with Egyptians, because of their adoration and consideration of cats as gods. Mafdet was the first known cat deity and was regarded as the protector against snakes, scorpions, and evil during the First Dynasty, so for them, cats were not just deities, but also protectors.”

After the Egyptian Dynasty, cats increased in popularity. The Greeks and Romans used them as pest control, and in the East it was wealthy people who owned cats. But cats were in for a downfall in the Middle Ages where they were associated with superstition and were accused of carrying disease during the Black Death. Many cats were killed. It took around 300 years before their reputation improved.

How did they get here to the US? During colonization in the Americas cats were kept on the ships to kill the vermin. When the ship was in port, the cats would leave the ship, go ashore, find what they wanted and flourish.

Why Dogs and Cats?

This interesting explanation of why dogs and why cats is from the Smithsonian: “When humans were predominantly hunters, dogs were of great use, and thus were domesticated long before cats. Cats, on the other hand, only became useful to people when we began to settle down, till the earth and—crucially—store surplus crops. With grain stores came mice, and when the first wild cats wandered into town, the stage was set for what the Science study authors call ‘one of the more successful biological experiments ever undertaken.’ The cats were delighted by the abundance of prey in the storehouses; people were delighted by the pest control.”

Nowadays, a cool looking, fun-behaving cat is something of an Internet treasure – and we have about half of a billion among us. Thanks to the International Fund for Animal Welfare cats have this August 8^th holiday! With an estimated global population of 600 million cats, half of which are thought to be unowned, we do need to talk about feral cats.

How to help Feral Cats

• Should you give them shelter? Absolutely yes. If you live in an area with cold climates, create a space where they can escape the temperatures of winter, and the heat of summer.
• Should you feed them? Yes, put out some water and food too if you think they’re in need.
• There may be a rescue group in your area that practices Trap-Neuter-Return. If you find one, that is a very kind thing to do as a female cat can get pregnant up to five times a year.
• Make sure the cat is actually homeless. Some who do have a home may wander the neighborhood.
• If there is a cat that shows an interest in being ‘adopted’, and you can find a home, please do.

** **

And now as a gift to all readers, here is an excellent NOVA documentary on cats. Click HERE.

AMS East has dedicated this month to recognizing our Caribbean-American employees, friends, and fellow citizens, and learning about the history and the cultures in the Caribbean Islands. We know so little of the experience of our fellow Americans from the Islands, and getting to know them a little better is our goal.

Caribbean-American Heritage

The following is from LaTanya Warren, Human Resources Manager, AMS East:

“During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the achievements and dreams of the millions of people of Caribbean origin now living in the United States while honoring the shared history of joy and perseverance that has united and enriched life across our region for centuries.

“There is no single Caribbean-American identity. The mix of cultures, languages, and religions alive across the United States and the islands reflects the diversity of spirit that defines the American story. Meanwhile, our countries are bound by common values and a shared history — overcoming the yoke of colonialism, confronting the original sin of slavery, and charting new opportunities across borders and generations.”

Most of us can only name a few islands with our most familiar being Jamaica due to Bob Marley and Reggae music, and Haiti, due to the devastating earthquake. Let’s learn a little more about the Caribbean.

The Nations and the Languages

There are thirteen sovereign nations in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Bermuda isn’t included in this list as it is in the North Atlantic, but many do include it among the Caribbean islands.

What languages are spoken in the Caribbean? There are six official languages and quite a few non-official ones. The official ones include four from colonization – Dutch, English, French and Spanish, and two official ones that the people have retained… Haitian Creole and  Papiamentu, which is also a Creole language.

The Original People

Who were the original people on the Islands, prior to colonization and the slave trade? They were the Taíno (or Arawak). The Taíno people populated the Caribbean islands and Florida. And there are three others – the Kalinago and Galibi in the Windward Islands; and the Ciboney in western Cuba. Are there still Taíno people in the Islands? The answer is yes – there are estimated to be descendants of the Taíno in the low ten-thousands.

African men, women and children were forcibly transported to the Islands as early as 1502 to replace the dwindling Taíno labor supply. The colonial powers first came in search of gold, but as mining decreased, they introduced livestock and sugarcane crops. The populations of the Islands today are majority descendants of African men and women who were transported there as slave labor. There is a small minority of Europeans, East Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Indigenous Peoples.

Recognize and Appreciate

So how do we recognize and celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage? Number one, we inform ourselves as to the painful history of colonialism, slavery and near-genocide. We appreciate with gratitude the ending of these practices. And most of all we appreciate the cultures of the descendants of enslaved Africans, their survival stories and their talent and minds and experiences.

In a recent blog on Black Business Month, we encouraged readers to shop at Black-owned businesses in August. La Tanya (AMS East) is doing just that. As part of the celebration, she is ordering Caribbean themed lunch for the warehouse team from a local, black-owned, female-owned, catering business. May we suggest one more good idea… get to know where the best Jamaican restaurant in your neighborhood is located! You’ll be glad you did.

The following is a quote from the Presidential Proclamation in recognition of Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

“A central promise of this country is the idea that everyone is created equal and deserves to be treated equally throughout their lives. It is a cornerstone of our common heritage in this hemisphere, even as we keep striving to finally make that vision real. Caribbean-American Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate the rich diversity that covenant has brought us and to renew its promise for future generations of Caribbean Americans and for us all.”

We’re happy to see that there is a month dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses. This commemorative month, focused on supporting Black businesses across the nation and in our communities, is one more welcomed step in our country’s striving for diversity and equity.

According to an article at National Day Calendar, “Historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr. founded National Black Business Month in August 2004 to ‘drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African-American businesses.’”

According to the article, the categories of Black-owned businesses cover a very broad field including health care, repair and maintenance, personal services, advertising firms, auto dealerships, restaurants, beauty salons, barbershops, banks, insurance companies, consulting services, construction companies, clothing and shoes, cosmetics and many more.

We went to the Black Enterprise Magazine for more in-depth information on Black businesses. “The history of Black entrepreneurship can be traced back to the late 1700s — when free and enslaved Black people opened small businesses like barbershops and tobacco outlets. The number of Black-owned firms rose with emancipation and then, despite the times, grew during the early 20th century. From 1900 to 1930, the period was known as the ‘golden age’ for Black-owned businesses. Segregation helped nurture Black-owned districts, including Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“There were other pivotal time frames reflecting the spirit of Black Business Month. One was the founding of the National Negro Business League in 1900 by the iconic Booker T. Washington. Now called the National Business League, the organization calls itself America’s oldest and largest trade group for Black businesses. Another stellar moment was the launch of Black Enterprise Magazine more than half a century later. In August 1970, the late Earl G. Graves, Sr., published the magazine’s first issue. It served largely as a guidebook for Black entrepreneurs seeking to launch and grow their companies.”

The article goes on to emphasize the importance of consumers and business owners supporting Black-owned businesses to help them rebound from the pandemic, where 53% of Black business owners saw their revenues fall by 50%, versus 37% of white business owners. Read the full article HERE.

A quick Internet search will provide listings of Black-owned businesses in your vicinity. In addition to those listings, Good Housekeeping Magazine provides a listing of Black-owned businesses of all types.

AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in our hiring and promotion. Currently AMS is developing a JEDI Committee, focused on educational experiences and on centering the voices and experiences of minority colleagues to learn with and from, and to foster a work culture that is welcoming, inviting, and inclusive.

We encourage our readers to investigate and locate Black-owned businesses in your area as well as online and buy those new shoes, or repair that car, or get that gorgeous dress, or get that home repair done, or check out that spa, or go out to enjoy dinner in a Black-owned restaurant during the month of August, and beyond.

Check out ten Black-owned B Corporations HERE.