EXAIR celebrates Founder’s Day each year on February 22nd (or the closest working day) in order to commemorate the birthday of our founder, Roy Sweeney. He founded the company in 1983 and drove EXAIR to become the strong, successful and innovative company that it has over the years. Roy led EXAIR for 33 years. Today would have been his 87th birthday.
We choose to make this day a celebration and a day to mark our ongoing commitment to the service of others in keeping with the values that Roy and his wife Jackie felt (and feel) very strongly about. We continue to look outside our company, outside ourselves and outside our immediate surroundings to do what we can to improve the world around us.
This marks our 5th Founder’s Day. Over the past four years, we have supported a total of 21 different charities with direct, substantial donations as part of our commitment to organizations that are making a difference right here in our area. This year, we have chosen to further deepen our commitment by contributing to all 21 organizations that we have supported in past years:
- Freestore Foodbank
Supplies 33 million meals per year to those in need
https://freestorefoodbank.org/ - Lighthouse Youth and Family Services
Supporting their Safe and Supported program for LGBTQ youth
https://www.lys.org/safeandsupported/ - DAV
Supporting disabled American veterans and their families
https://www.dav.org/ - Arts Wave
Funds and supports 100+ arts projects and organizations through impact-based grants
https://www.artswave.org/ - Cincinnati Works
Partners with all willing and capable people living in poverty to assist them in advancing to economic self-sufficiency through employment
https://cincinnatiworks.org/ - Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati
Helps eliminate substandard housing locally and globally by building and renovating decent, affordable homes to sell to low-income first-time homebuyers.
https://www.habitatcincinnati.org/ - Matthew 25: Ministries
Provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief along with partners in the Greater Cincinnati area, across the US and in more than 60 countries
https://m25m.org/ - SPCA Cincinnati
Offers programs including animal adoptions, animal cruelty investigations, spaying and neutering shelter animals, companion animal and wildlife rescue
https://spcacincinnati.org/ - Tender Mercies
Transforms the lives of homeless adults with mental illness by providing security, dignity, and community in a place they call home
https://www.tendermerciesinc.org/ - Bethany House
Helps homeless and at-risk families with solutions to achieve housing stability and long-term self-sufficiency
https://bethanyhouseservices.org/ - Women’s Crisis Center
Supporting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and sexual abuse
https://www.wccky.org/ - Dragonfly Foundation
Supporting pediatric cancer patients and their families
www.dragonfly.org - Master Provisions
Supporting those in need with food, clothing and other items in the Greater Cincinnati area and abroad through mission trips
www.masterprovisons.org - Cincinnati Youth Collaborative
Supporting vulnerable children and young adults to overcome obstacles and succeed in education, career, and life
www.cycyouth.org
- Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House provides a home for critically ill children and their families while they get the life-saving medical care they need
www.rmhcincinnati.org - Women Helping Women
Prevents gender-based violence and provides evidence-based prevention and expert crisis intervention and support services for survivors of dating violence, sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking
www.womenhelpingwomen.org - Elementz
Elementz is an urban oasis of hope and a catalyst of change for Cincinnati’s inner-city youth. This Urban Arts Center fosters talent, ignites potential and inspires possibilities.
www.elementz.org - Special Olympics Ohio
Special Olympics Ohio is part of the global inclusion movement using sports, health education, and leadership programs to empower people with intellectual disabilities.
www.sooh.org
- Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The CSO is situated in the heart of Cincinnati and is contributing at every level to serving our community and elevating Cincinnati’s vibrant cultural scene.
www.cincinnatisymphony.org
- Wounded Warrior Project
Supporting American veterans and their families
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
- MusiCorps
MusiCorps is a conservatory-level music rehabilitation program that helps wounded warriors play music and recover their lives.
www.musicorps.net
EXAIR also established an Employee Volunteer Program in 2018 that enables every full-time employee with at least 90 days of service to volunteer with organizations of their choice during the normal work week with full pay by EXAIR. The COVID pandemic has impacted our ability to volunteer with outside organizations for nearly a year. We look forward to better days when we can collectively work with organizations in our community to improve the lives of those in need.
So, as we celebrate Founder’s Day today, we wish Roy a happy birthday. We miss having him here. We remember what he did for all of us and for countless others. And we pledge to continue his commitment to helping those who need it.
Happy Founder’s Day 2021 from everyone at EXAIR!
Bryan Peters
President
EXAIR Corporation