If it is the season for giving, then one only has to look at Valero to see the saying come to life.

Valero Port Arthur Refinery presented a check worth $859,520 to the United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County (UWMSJC) Wednesday at their Port Arthur site. The donation — the largest single sum donated to UWMSJC — came from Valero employees, employee fundraisers and matching funds from the company.

“We could not have done this without the support of Valero,” Janie Johnson, executive director for UWMSJC, said.

“This is literally putting food on the table for some of the people we help,” Johnson said. “It’s getting people the therapy they need.”

In acknowledgement of Valero’s support, Johnson thanked the employees and staff gathered in the cafeteria of the main Valero building in Port Arthur.

“Not everyone has the support and compassion we do,” Johnson said, speaking for the UWMSJC. “We’re largely blessed due to you. You help our community get better. We appreciate it so much.

“Those (in need) will have somewhere to go because of you.”

For Mickey Landry, complex manager of Valero Port Arthur and United Way chairman for Valero, the act of helping the community came down to stories.

“Everyone has a story to tell,” Landry said. “United Way takes those stories and brings them to the public.”

Landry related a story about a 60 year-old woman who had taken in her three granddaughters and two children who had been abandoned by parents with substance abuse problems.

“She had five little girls, ages 4 to 9,” Landry said. “And then her husband of 30 years divorced her. This woman had never worked a day in her life and her husband refused to make settlement payments.

“She couldn’t get government assistance because she was not the legal guardian of them.”

“Who helps someone like her?” Landry asked. “Community Care Outreach helps her.

“There are thousands of stories like hers. Who’s going to teach the young boys and girls to be young men and women?” Landry asked.

Landry followed with an extensive list of acknowledgements and praise to several of the local nonprofit organizations that would benefit from the $859,520 raised by Valero.

“It takes funds for (change) to happen,” Landry said. “And people to go door-to-door, to coordinate the effort and make it happen.

“That’s what United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County do. They and the agencies are simply the best people Southeast Texas has to offer.”

Landry estimated that 66 percent of the amount Valero raised for United Way was raised by its employees.

“I’m honored to work with such dedicated employees,” Landry said. “They will go above and beyond. Some literally gave thousands of dollars.”

Landry said they had to create a new category of donors for some of the Valero employees because they donated so much money.

“Some gave 2 ½ percent of their salaries,” Landry said. “And some of these people make good salaries…

“It’s amazing; it’s amazing to see these numbers.”

Landry said Valero as a company encourages charitable donations among its employees.

“In 38 years, I’ve served different companies,” Landry said. “No company in 38 years is dedicated to helping communities like Valero. It expects its people to rise to the occasion.”

The Valero company matched 50 percent of what its employees raised, according to Landry.

“If you look at it, Valero has established a culture of community work,” Landry said.

“Wherever Valero operates, we want to give back to the community.”

Landry said it has been their philosophy for a long time.

“We give millions of dollars to charities every year.”

According to Landry, videos of people in need were shown to Valero workers in order to help drum up support.

“When people hear their stories, they respond — and they respond overwhelmingly,” Lanrdy said.

“We’re extremely proud to work with employees who give their time and money to work for a good cause.”

And it was not only large-scale charity donations that Valero and its workers contribute to, according to Landry.

“A lot of folks volunteer on their own. They enter local programs that support the community throughout the year.”

Landry mentioned the Valero Volunteer Council as one such initiative.

“It’s not hard to write a check,” Landy said. “It’s amazing what the (organizations) do.”