{"id":63697,"date":"2025-02-06T14:38:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T22:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=63697"},"modified":"2025-02-06T14:48:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T22:48:29","slug":"access-cares-foundation-donates-50000-to-everysteps-amanda-the-panda-in-memory-of-jeff-ruden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/news\/2025\/02\/access-cares-foundation-donates-50000-to-everysteps-amanda-the-panda-in-memory-of-jeff-ruden\/","title":{"rendered":"Access Cares Foundation Donates $50,000 to EveryStep\u2019s Amanda the Panda in Memory of Jeff Ruden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Waukee, IA (Feb. 3, 2025)<\/em> \u2014 Access Cares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Access Systems, is proud to announce a $50,000 donation to EveryStep\u2019s Amanda the Panda grief support program, in memory of Jeff Ruden, former vice president of service at Access Systems, who passed away in March 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff was a cherished member of the Access Systems family and a passionate advocate for community service, especially missions that uplifted children. Jeff, along with the Access Systems team, demonstrated unwavering support for Amanda the Panda through countless acts of service, including preparing materials for grief programs, volunteering to open the Grief Center on West Grand Avenue, and participating in various fundraising events such as golf tournaments, galas, and EveryStep\u2019s Amazing FundRacer event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJeff was always the first to raise his hand when it came to supporting our community,\u201d said Shane Sloan, CEO of Access Systems. \u201cHis kindness, generosity, and commitment to giving back left an indelible mark on all of us. This donation ensures his legacy of compassion continues to bring hope and healing to those navigating the journey of grief.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
EveryStep CEO Tray Wade, EveryStep Executive Director of Foundation Julie Matternas, Amanda the Panda Staff, and Access Cares Foundation representatives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The $50,000 donation will directly support Amanda the Panda\u2019s grief and loss programs, which provide essential resources to individuals and families coping with the death of loved ones and other significant life losses. These services include support groups, holiday cheer boxes, school-based support, and remembrance events\u2014all designed to foster healing and connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am absolutely humbled and in awe of this kindness, generosity and trust in the work we are doing. I cannot thank the leadership at Access Systems and the Access Cares Foundation enough,\u201d said Tray Wade, president and CEO of EveryStep. \u201cWe will proudly utilize these funds to ensure our community is getting the grief and loss support it needs and deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff\u2019s passing left a profound loss for his family, friends, and colleagues. Access Systems and the Access Cares Foundation aim to celebrate Jeff\u2019s life and his heartfelt dedication to helping others through this memorial donation. It is with hope and gratitude that this gift will bring comfort to those experiencing grief and keep Jeff\u2019s spirit of service alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Jeff Ruden, emeritus Access Systems VP of service, volunteering for Amanda the Panda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Access Cares Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Access Systems, committed to creating positive change in the communities it serves. Through volunteerism, charitable donations, and community partnerships, Access Cares strives to support initiatives that promote education, well-being, and social impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amanda the Panda, a program of EveryStep, offers compassionate grief support services to children and families after the death of a loved one. Through a variety of programs, including support groups, holiday cheer boxes, school-based programs, community outreach activities and special events, EveryStep\u2019s Amanda the Panda program provides a safe space for healing and connection. Click here<\/a> to learn more. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Waukee, IA (Feb. 3, 2025) \u2014 Access Cares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Access Systems, is proud to announce a $50,000 donation to EveryStep\u2019s Amanda the Panda grief support program, in memory of Jeff Ruden, former vice president of service at Access Systems, who passed away in March 2022. Jeff was a cherished member of the Access Systems family and a passionate advocate for community service, especially missions that uplifted children. Jeff, along with the Access Systems team, demonstrated unwavering support for Amanda the Panda through countless acts of service, including preparing materials for grief programs, volunteering to open the Grief Center on West Grand Avenue, and participating in various fundraising events such as golf tournaments, galas, and EveryStep\u2019s Amazing FundRacer event. \u201cJeff was always the first to raise his hand when it came to supporting our community,\u201d said Shane Sloan, CEO of Access Systems. \u201cHis kindness, generosity, and commitment to giving back left an indelible mark on all of us. This donation ensures his legacy of compassion continues to bring hope and healing to those navigating the journey of grief.\u201d The $50,000 donation will directly support Amanda the Panda\u2019s grief and loss programs, which provide essential resources to individuals and families coping with the death of loved ones and other significant life losses. These services include support groups, holiday cheer boxes, school-based support, and remembrance events\u2014all designed to foster healing and connection. \u201cI am absolutely humbled and in awe of this kindness, generosity and trust in the work we are doing. I cannot thank the leadership at Access Systems and the Access Cares Foundation enough,\u201d said Tray Wade, president and CEO of EveryStep. \u201cWe will proudly utilize these funds to ensure our community is getting the grief and loss support it needs and deserves.\u201d Jeff\u2019s passing left a profound loss for his family, friends, and colleagues. Access Systems and the Access Cares Foundation aim to celebrate Jeff\u2019s life and his heartfelt dedication to helping others through this memorial donation. It is with hope and gratitude that this gift will bring comfort to those experiencing grief and keep Jeff\u2019s spirit of service alive. Access Cares Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Access Systems, committed to creating positive change in the communities it serves. Through volunteerism, charitable donations, and community partnerships, Access Cares strives to support initiatives that promote education, well-being, and social impact. Amanda the Panda, a program of EveryStep, offers compassionate grief support services to children and families after the death of a loved one. Through a variety of programs, including support groups, holiday cheer boxes, school-based programs, community outreach activities and special events, EveryStep\u2019s Amanda the Panda program provides a safe space for healing and connection. Click here to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[86],"tags":[3216],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63697"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63697"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63702,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63697\/revisions\/63702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}