Article by AL.com – November 2018 – Even when life is unfolding predictably, the holiday season can be a stressor. It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own joyful responsibilities and forget that others are still coping with the basic necessities of life. The simplest way to help is to bolster communities that neighbor us or affect our lives—as individuals and businesses. That’s what Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation (INTUITIVE), headquartered in Huntsville, is doing this holiday season. The engineering firm officially opened an office in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on Oct. 16, joining the panhandle community less than week after the strongest storm they’d ever seen ravaged the region. INTUITIVE has created a company-wide initiative to rally for their neighbors in Panama City, raising the school supplies reported as most needed.
Much of Panama City is unrecognizable due to the Hurricane Michael’s 150mph winds on October 10th. Damage estimates for the entire storm are in the billions, probably between 5 and 10 billion—mostly in Bay and Gulf counties. In an attempt to re-establish routine, the school system of Bay County has been opening schools again throughout early November. Nonetheless, some of the students are not equipped with what they need to learn . . . and some teachers are short on supplies and still dealing with their own problems.
INTUITIVE opened an office in Fort Walton Beach (in neighboring Okaloosa County) to better serve the U.S. Air Force—providing engineering and program management to its customers. You might think that an engineering firm with widespread operations would be cold and calculating, but INTUITIVE extends a sense of community commitment wherever they go.
“In Huntsville, our headquarter city, you’ll find a unique appreciation for the military’s mission and you will see its interdependence with supportive communities,” said Vice President Juanita Phillips. “Our employees live in these communities, and we want to be an asset to the entire economic and social environment; furthermore, the way we carry ourselves reflects on the military, as they award us contracts, so we have a responsibility in that regard.”
In November, INTUITIVE sent out a memo of holiday giving initiatives. The first item was gathering supplies for school children and teachers of Bay County. For reference, here are the items they are reporting a need for:
Post Hurricane Wish List:
Crayons
Markers
Paper
Notebooks
Glue sticks
Mechanical Pencils
Expo Markers
Whiteboard Easer
Clip Magnets
Plastic 3 Ring Prong Folder
Tab Dividers
Bright Duct Tape/Washi Tape
Clorox wipes
Paper towels
Hand soap
Hand sanitizer
Baby wipes
Stickers, small prizes, or candies (used for rewards to students)
Plastic Boxes
Totes or cloth bags
Boxes or pouches for markers
INTUITIVE aims to have these supplies and other monetary donations to the Bay District School Board in Panama City by the time students return from Thanksgiving break, when ironically, the real break—from tragedy—will begin with familiar routines.
“It’s really part of our year-round outreach—we don’t just wait on a marquee tragedy,” said Phillips. “Our communities support us, and we want to be a living part of them—serving when you see the opportunity is how you create a better world.”
This month, INTUITIVE is also preparing for their annual food drive to benefit the Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound (CASA) of Madison County. INTUITIVE will adopt 25 local families to whom they will fund and deliver Thanksgiving meals.
“Some people wouldn’t understand or don’t have the clearance to know what it is we do, but these moments when we physically step out into the community, they know our spirit and that’s just as important,” said Phillips.