Levi’s legacy: GCI employees continue late team member’s Thanksgiving tradition
This Thanksgiving season, GCI and employees at the company’s Fairbanks retail store are donating 339 turkeys to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank in memory of Levi Griffith, a beloved member of the GCI team who passed away earlier this year. Levi’s generosity and commitment to his community inspired a tradition that has brought holiday cheer to hundreds of families in the Fairbanks area.
In 2022, Levi launched the Fairbanks Thanksgiving Turkey Drive by donating 100 turkeys to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank. His kindness sparked a movement that grew each year. In 2023, GCI Gives matched his donation, doubling the impact to 200 turkeys. By 2024, the effort expanded to 300 turkeys, thanks to Levi and his colleague, Juli Dixon. Today, GCI Gives, Juli, and the Fairbanks retail team are proud to keep Levi’s tradition going by donating a total of 339 turkeys to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank.
“I promised Levi’s mom, Nancy, that I would continue his tradition of giving back – and I’m honored to keep that promise,” said Juli Dixon, GCI Senior Customer Service Sales Specialist. “Donating turkeys to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank brings joy knowing families will have a warm meal this holiday season, but it also reminds me how many in our community are struggling. If this helps put even a few smiles on faces, Levi’s legacy of kindness lives on.”
“Levi’s compassion and commitment to helping others left a lasting mark on our team and the Fairbanks community,” said GCI Senior Manager of Customer Service Sales Operations Karissa Mahler. “The Fairbanks Community Food Bank shared that the need for Thanksgiving food donations was especially high this year. In honor of Levi and his tradition of giving, 339 turkeys were donated, making a meaningful impact for families right here in Fairbanks. I’m incredibly proud of our GCI team for coming together to make this happen.”
The turkeys are purchased from Quality Sales Food Service and delivered to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank in time for Thanksgiving.
“GCI Gives is a valuable resource for this community,” said Fairbanks Community Food Bank CEO Anne Weaver. “The gifts are thoughtfully given in the way which will have the greatest impact. It is an honor to have such a community minded company in Interior Alaska. GCI cares!”
The more than 4,500 pounds of turkey donated by GCI will help the Fairbanks Community Food Bank feed approximately 3,300 households in the Fairbanks area this Thanksgiving.
“This donation reflects the heart of GCI, its employees, and the spirit of the season,” said Tiffany Vassar, GCI Senior Program Manager of Contributions & Events. “We’re proud to support the Fairbanks Community Food Bank and continue Levi’s tradition of giving, while also contributing to efforts across Alaska to help families enjoy a holiday meal.”
In addition to its efforts in Fairbanks, GCI also donated $10,000 to the Food Bank of Alaska. The Food Bank of Alaska coordinates Thanksgiving Blessing in Anchorage, Cordova, and the Mat-Su, providing each family with a turkey, five pounds of potatoes, and five pounds of apples. This year, the program expects to serve between 9,500 and 11,000 families at 11 distribution sites across Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.
GCI is one of Alaska’s leaders in corporate philanthropy, donating approximately $2 million each year in cash, products and connectivity to organizations across the state. GCI is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and provides employees with 16 hours of paid leave to volunteer with local organizations.
For more information about GCI Gives, visit https://www.gci.com/why-gci/gcigives.
About GCI
Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The company has invested $4.7 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 45 years. Through a combination of ambitious network initiatives, GCI continues to expand and strengthen its statewide network infrastructure to deliver the best possible connectivity to its customers and close the digital divide in Alaska. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is an independent publicly traded company (Nasdaq: GLIBA, GLIBK, GLIBB) Learn more at https://www.gciliberty.com/.