This past weekend, Norfolk Southern joined with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation (AFRF) and the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) to celebrate first responders and its Atlanta neighbors at the 53^rd Annual Station 16 holiday party. African American firefighters assigned to Atlanta Fire Rescue Station 16 started the event in 1972, and they were the first to integrate AFRD 60 years ago.

Volunteers from Norfolk Southern, alongside more than 600 community neighbors, assisted in providing a holiday meal, toys, bikes, and computers to over 400 Atlanta families in the English Avenue, Vine City, and Washington Park neighborhoods.  

Prior to the event and as part of Norfolk Southern’s Giving November initiatives, team members from  Financial Planning & Analysis assembled children’s bicycles that were distributed at the party. Employees also came together in shifts to pack toys and build additional bicycles through the Empty Stocking Fund Holiday Gift Packing program. 

Norfolk Southern is a proud supporter of the AFRF and recently contributed a lead gift to the Foundation’s “Fleet Forward” capital campaign for modern equipment, EV fire engines and quick response vehicles. Learn more about Norfolk Southern’s Corporate Giving initiatives and why the company prioritizes support for safety-focused organizations like AFRF here.