A completely different year is the least we can say about 2020. There were many changes and great difficulties, but solidarity was the greatest learning experience we will take away from this challenging time. Six years ago, the Instituto Aço Cearense launched a campaign called "Abraço Feliz" (Happy Embrace), which, as the name suggests, delivers a warm hug, accompanied by a Christmas gift, to children in socially vulnerable situations. This year, the campaign took on a new format and provided gifts to more than 400 children from four institutions in December.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign was adapted to a digital format. The letters written annually by children from the organizations supported by the organization were transformed into audio files this year. Christmas trees were placed throughout Aço Cearense Group companies in Ceará, Pará, and Tocantins, and inside the Christmas decorations were photos of the children, accompanied by a code that allowed employees to register and receive an audio message from the child with their request. The gifts donated by employees were sent to the organizations and distributed to the children there.
Amanda Feijó, commercial manager at Aço Cearense Comercial, chose to give gifts to two children this year as a way to make Christmas a little more special. "I always participate in the campaign, and this year I was a little sad because the children couldn't come here to receive our hugs. On the other hand, I thought the company's approach to ensuring they didn't miss out on gifts was very innovative. In the end, I even received a thank you video from the children I gave gifts to, and I was quite touched," says the manager.
The Aço Cearense Institute is responsible for all of the Aço Cearense Group's social, educational, sports, and entrepreneurial initiatives, contributing to the development of Ceará, Pará, and Tocantins, where Aço Cearense Comercial, Aço Cearense Industrial, SINOBRAS, and SINOBRAS FLORESTAL, all of which are part of the Group, are located. With over R$1.4 billion invested, 167 institutions have already been served, benefiting over 80,000 people.
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