BNSF, KCS: Giving Back to Local Communities
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
BNSF’s Michael Garriga (right) helped facilitate donations to four nonprofits that support service members. Among them: the Mississippi Military Emergency Relief Fund, for which Gov. Tate Reeves accepted a $10,000 check.
While BNSF and Kansas City Southern were unable to run their annual holiday trains this year due to the pandemic, they continued delivering donations to communities along their lines.
BNSF’s Holiday Express Train—introduced in 2008 to honor military members and their families—was scheduled to operate through the southeast portion of its network. But Michael Garriga, BNSF Executive Director of Public Affairs, helped facilitate donations to regional organizations instead. The BNSF Railway Foundation contributed $10,000 apiece to The Governor’s Challenge for Veteran Suicide Prevention in Alabama; Camp Alliance in Arkansas; Mississippi Military Emergency Relief Fund; and Tennessee’s Auxiliary Soldier and Airman Relief Fund.
“We were disappointed that we couldn’t take the military members and their families on board our train,” Garriga said. “But it still feels really good to know that even without the train, BNSF can honor these families and their sacrifices, especially during this difficult time.”
Since 2008, BNSF’s Holiday Express has hosted nearly 30,000 military personnel and their families, and its Foundation has donated approximately $1 million to organizations that support those groups. Additionally, the Foundation has donated $2.4 million to the USO to benefit Operation Enduring Care along with other military support organizations.
Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express program has raised more than $277,000 this year to benefit The Salvation Army in 20 communities.
Those communities include Kansas City, Joplin and Mexico, Mo.; Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Laredo and Port Arthur, Texas; Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport and Westlake, La.; Gulfport, Jackson and Vicksburg, Miss.; Decatur, Ark.; East St. Louis, Ill.; Pittsburg, Kan.; and Heavener, Okla.
“The Salvation Army tells us that the need has always been there, and this year, it’s greater than ever, which is why I’m so pleased that the KCS is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Holiday Express project by supporting The Salvation Army in 20 communities on our rail network,” KCS President and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer said. “The KCS Holiday Express project, combined with gifts earlier in the year to United Way for COVID relief, gifts to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief, and donations of medical equipment in Mexico, bring KCS’ charitable giving for 2020 to well over $1 million for these efforts combined.”
Since 2000, the charitable component of the KCS Holiday Express program has raised more than $2.3 million, which was donated to The Salvation Army at each scheduled train stop to help provide warm clothing and other items for children in need. In 2020, KCS honored one of the founding volunteer elves, Tillie Caileff, who was integral to the program’s success, and who passed away earlier this year.
