Creating Connections
A technical assistant at Lincoln Laboratory is the force behind Lincoln’s Support Our Troops program. In addition to excellent performance at her full-time job, she gives her own time to organize and ship care packages to troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of those service members are family of people at Lincoln, and each box contains not just the snacks, magazines, and other items so welcomed by soldiers, but a letter of thanks from MIT’s Lincoln Lab. Many troops are grateful for the support from home, but remain troubled by the suffering of civilians. In response to a request from service members, our awardee made sure boxes of winter clothes were sent to needy Iraqis in time for the harsh weather.
Her drive to help those enduring extreme hardship fosters volunteerism among those around her. She helped initiate a Giving Tree program at Lincoln, which provides holiday gifts for homeless and needy families in the area, and she organizes the lab’s annual Multiple Sclerosis Bike and Hike event, which recently netted $10K in donations. Her colleagues agree: by mind and hand, she makes the world a better place.
For connecting Lincoln Lab with communities near and far, congratulations, JoAnne Knoll.