In December, 23 volunteers from the UC Office of the President (UCOP) Office of Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services (ECAS) partnered with the employee resource group Veterans Among US (VAUS) — whose sponsor is ECAS leader Alexander Bustamante, UCOP senior vice president and chief compliance and audit officer — to embody the spirit of holiday giving.
The colleagues came together to support Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to providing aid, comfort and resources to deployed service members, veterans and their families. By raising donations of more than $1,700 — surpassing last year’s total of $1,000 — ECAS and VAUS were able to “adopt” five families. The adopted families ranged in size, including one with five young children, and were located across the United States, in California, Florida, Nevada and Washington.
Each family provided a wish list. Over the course of three weeks, volunteers purchased, wrapped and shipped gifts to fulfill those wishes, ensuring that these families who had selflessly served and sacrificed for our nation could experience a joyful and uplifting holiday season.
The families expressed their deep and heartfelt gratitude, sharing that ECAS and VAUS made this Christmas unforgettable for their children.
About Soldiers’ Angels
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Soldiers’ Angels relies on the generosity of donors to fulfill its mission. For years, Soldiers’ Angels has been recognized as one of the highest-rated nonprofits in the U.S. If you would like to join ECAS and VAUS and boost the morale of deployed service members, veterans and their families, learn more about ways to give here.
About Veterans Among US
VAUS is a UCOP employee resource group dedicated to serving, supporting and enhancing the well-being of the broader military and local communities, as well as the University of California and all its locations. Members aim to encourage employees to actively participate in activities and events that uphold veterans, military service organizations and academia, and to foster inclusivity and provide support for veteran employees and their families. VAUS seeks to cultivate meaningful connections rooted in armed services affiliations, encompassing personal and family ties and a shared admiration for the armed services.