Making the Holidays Happier for Children Worldwide in 2009

Booz Allen and hundreds of volunteers continue a tradition of support for Toys for Tots and NORAD Tracks Santa.

Again this year, as in many years before, Booz Allen Hamilton will bring holiday cheer to children in the U.S. and throughout the world with its support for the NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) and Toys for Tots programs.

Toys for Tots

In 2009, Booz Allen’s staff will continue its consistently generous participation in the Toy for Tots campaign. But there will be a sobering difference: This year’s toy drive is dedicated to our friend and colleague, Bill Cahir, who was killed August 13 while serving as an activated reservist with the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan. A sergeant with the 4th Civil Affairs Group, Bill enlisted in the Marines after 9/11 and had served two tours of duty in Iraq. Bill joined Booz Allen in 2008 as a senior consultant. His wife, Rene Browne, will soon deliver their first children, twins.

As a Marine reservist, Bill was an active and enthusiastic supporter of the Toys for Tots drive. Volunteers drive the success of the Toys for Tots program by purchasing a toy or donating money online to deliver a message of hope to disadvantaged children. In Bill’s memory, the firm will match, dollar for dollar, the cash donations Booz Allen staff makes to the Toys for Tots drive this year.

Booz Allen has supported the nonprofit Marine Toys for Tots Foundation—the fundraising arm of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program—since its founding in 1991. In 2008, 3,559 toys were donated by Booz Allen offices nationwide. In addition, $8,383 was donated online by the firm’s employees via www.toysfortots.org/BoozAllenHamilton. The foundation purchases toys at discounted prices to make the most of every dollar donated.

Since 1947, when Marine Corps reservists in Los Angeles collected 5,000 toys for needy children, Toys for Tots has expanded their unique American tradition nationwide, providing new toys to children who may otherwise go without during the holidays. In the 62 years since program started, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to over 188 million children.

Countdown to Christmas with Santa

Another way that Booz Allen will brighten the holidays for children this year is by again contributing to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Tracks Santa (NTS) effort.

For more than 50 years, NORAD has used the media and a special phone number to provide children worldwide with updates on Santa Claus’ location as he travels the globe on Christmas Eve. These days, children also have access to a special NTS website—www.noradsanta.org—available in seven languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, and English.

When the site goes live again on December 1, 2009, millions of children in hundreds of countries will have access to Santa’s village and a new child-friendly game or activity each day until Christmas Eve.

Then, starting at 2 a.m. EST on December 24, children can watch Santa prepare for his worldwide journey. At 4 a.m. EST, they can watch his sleigh and reindeer depart the North Pole to deliver presents. Updates on Santa’s whereabouts will be provided in real time, along with periodic videos capturing Santa’s flight.

NORAD relies on help from corporate partners to operate the NTS project, and in 2007 and 2008, Booz Allen coordinated the effort to design and develop the site. This year, in addition to website modifications, the firm developed and implemented a comprehensive social media campaign: Children can friend Santa on Facebook, where he has over 3,000 fans (at last count); they can join almost 3,100 of Santa’s followers on Twitter; or they can view photos of Santa on Flickr.

In addition, this Christmas Eve, as in years past, dozens of members of Booz Allen’s Colorado Spring staff will volunteer at the NTS Operations Center at Peterson Air Force Base. The center operates only on December 24 each year, beginning at 6 a.m. EST, when children call 1.877.HI NORAD and ask the volunteers about Santa’s location.

story posted December 2, 2009