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HANOVER TWP. — Melissa Munoz was standing with her co-workers outside Navient Wednesday morning waiting for the big announcement.
Bill Jones, president/CEO of the United Way of Wyoming Valley, was there to present a brand new Toyota to a Navient employee who donated to the 2015 United Way campaign.
It was just two days before Christmas and Jones was going to award a new car to one lucky person. He noted this is the first year a car had been donated by MotorWorld and Toyota. In years past, the winner received a 2-year lease on a car.
When Munoz heard about the change, she remarked loud enough for all to hear, “Looks like Santa Claus is coming to my house early this year.”
And then Jones announced the winner:
“The car goes to Navient employee,” Jones said, “Melissa Munoz.”
The script couldn’t have been better written. Munoz was shocked and trembled as she took the keys from Jones and walked toward a 2016 Toyota Rav4. She will be allowed to select the Toyota of her choice from Motorworld and will be given up to $25,000 toward the purchase.
The 43-year-old Munoz recently purchased a home in the Hudson section of Plains Township, where she resides with six of her nine children, who range in age from 4 to 27.
“I was joking when I said Santa Claus was coming early to my house,” she said, still trembling. “I have to call my mom.”
Munoz is one of 650 Navient employees who contributed to the United Way this year. Troy Standish, senior vice president at Navient, said there are 1,100 employees, which means 60 percent of the staff participated in the United Way campaign. Jones said Navient topped all companies in 2015 in employee campaigns.
“We are very proud of all the employees who pitched in and donated to the United Way this year,” Standish said.
Asked why she donated to the United Way, Munoz, who was born in Puerto Rico and formerly lived in New York, feels strongly about giving back to the community.
“As a single mom, I can give back to the community,” she said. “I also volunteer when I can. Right now, I feel like I’m in a Christmas movie.”
Rick Osick, president of MotorWorld, said the company has funds set aside for community involvement.
“We decided to partner with the United Way and its mission to address childhood poverty,” Osick said.
Jones said donors who gave the equivalent of $2 per week to the United Way campaign qualified for one entry in the drawing for the 2016 Toyota. Larger donations qualified those people for additional chances in the drawing.
Lisa Stashik, vice president at Navient, said the company has contributed more than $1.2 million to the United Way over the last 10 years.
“Volunteerism and charitable giving is at the core of who we are,” she said. “And we couldn’t be happier for Melissa Munoz to be rewarded with such an incredible gift for all her personal generosity.”
