New England Compaq employees have once again demonstrated their generosity and commitment to community in the company's annual fall clothing drive. Employees of Goodwill Industries visit at least eight Compaq work sites in Massachusetts twice a year, and charitable organizations in New Hampshire also benefit from Compaq community outreach programs in support of those less fortunate during drives conducted at two sites in the Granite State. In recent weeks, Goodwill trucks have visited the Massachusetts sites, filling them with serviceable clothing and small appliance donations from among the company's 6,000 New England employees. The items collected there will be distributed to five stores around the region, where they are sold to benefit Goodwill Industries programs. Goodwill is one of the world's largest nonprofit providers of employment training services for people with disabilities and other disadvantage-related conditions such as welfare dependency, illiteracy, criminal history and homelessness. New Hampshire based organizations benefit from drives conducted at Compaq sites located in Nashua. Those charities include Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, Sheep Fold Ministries, Upper Room Compassionate Ministries, Mary's House, Nashua Pastoral Care, and Family Life Center of Fitchburg, MA.

Ronald Deneau, a driver for Goodwill who collects donations, noted that 89 cents on every dollar from the Massachusetts drives goes directly into programs for handicapped and disabled Goodwill workers. Bill Robichaud, Compaq services and facility manager in Andover, said that many employees are faithful to the program each spring and fall, saving up items all year to bring to the company's drives.

"I participate nearly every time," Joe Metivier, a Compaq employee, said, while unloading a trunk and back seat filled with clothing. "It goes to a good cause and it's also a great way to clean out the unused clutter at home."

Compaq community relations Senior Manager Lewis Karabatsos said about ninety percent of the donations are clothing but small appliances and computers are also accepted. In the last clothing drive during spring 2001, Compaq donations exceeded 10 tons and during the spring and fall 2000 drives, Compaq employees donated 27 tons. Similar figures are anticipated for donations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire for fall 2001, as each site conducts drives to benefit the various charities.