Santa Clara, CA Community Efforts

Santa Clara Employees Share Their Lunch with 38,000 Children in Need

Senior VP of Worldwide Technology Development Mohan Yegnashankaran "shared his lunch" by giving a contribution to volunteer Wilma MacShate (Engineering Services Group)

June 12, 2008 - For the second year in a row, Santa Clara employees participated in the Share Your Lunch Campaign. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties organizes this campaign to provide food during the summer months for low-income children who rely on the free lunch program during the school year. This is an important cause, especially now that food prices are rising dramatically.

This year, National's goal was to raise $15,000 for the effort. Employees outdid themselves resulting in a $19,000 donation! This total, which includes employee contributions and the company match, will help provide 38,000 meals to kids facing hunger.

Thousands of children will have a brighter summer thanks to the National employees who shared their lunch!

Santa Clara employees Georgette Ribeiro, Lianna Aduato, Denise Eckardt and Amir Razavi show off some of the Share Your Lunch donations they collected at the picnic following the Q4 Employee Communication Meeting

Santa Clara Employees Win Big for the Community at the Human Race!

National team members flex their National Spirit to kick off the race!

May 13, 2008 - National prevailed once again at this year’s Human Race in Mountain View, Calif., as Santa Clara employees proved that when it comes to community support - they cannot be beat!

Sporting National tattoos and bright blue "Spirit of National" t-shirts, 415 employees, their families and friends participated in the event, raising money for organizations and causes they are passionate about.

For an unprecedented tenth year in a row, National won the Corporate Challenge Trophy by raising the most money for charities through the Human Race. National's team broke its previous record by raising more than $57,300 in pledges, company match and sponsorship.

What made this year even more successful was the participation of five major teams organized by National employees. Led by team captains Lynn Lavis (Finance), William Betparoo (Facilities), Jermaine Soleymani (Site Engineering), Bill Corley (Information Security) and Karl Watanbe (Santa Clara Power LSI), the teams consisted of a total of 316 members that raised thousands of dollars for the following organizations: The American Cancer Society, the Assyrian Aid Society, the Fremont High Band Boosters and the Don Callejon School Community Organization.

For the 7th year in a row, Amir Razavi (IS Middleware Support), was recognized for his individual fund-raising efforts. Amir raised the highest amount of any Human Race participant, with a contribution of nearly $5,700 for the American Cancer Society.

Additionally, Karl Watanabe received a medal in the 10K run, showing us that raising money and winning races can go hand-in-hand.

The Human Race, a 5K/10K run/walk for charities, is coordinated by the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley. National Semiconductor is a major sponsor of the event, which raises funds for hundreds of charities and unites thousands of people on race day.

Lillian Griggs and Lynn Lavis were part of a large team that walked in Memory of Lillian's husband Bill, raising thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society		Karl Watanabe celebrates his win with his daughter Kayleigh

National Employees Brighten a Shelter for Homeless Women and Children

National employees give a thumbs up for a job well done!

April 24, 2008 - On April 19, thirty-eight National Santa Clara volunteers took time out of their Saturday to volunteer for InnVision, the largest provider of housing and services for homeless and at risk families and individuals in Silicon Valley.

Employee volunteers worked beside their friends and family to beautify InnVision's Georgia Travis Center, a day shelter for women and children in San Jose, Calif.

After welcoming comments from Mike Noonen, National's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Sales and a member of InnVision's board of directors, the volunteers got to work with the tasks on hand.

Over the next three and a half hours, the volunteers painted an office, pruned bushes, pulled weeds, laid tanbark and planted several new trees and countless flowers. When the work was completed, both the inside and outside of the Georgia Travis Center were brightened by the efforts and smiles shared on that day.

Christine Burroughs, the Executive Director of InnVision was thrilled with the results of the project and the dedication of the National employees.

“Our budget focuses on services for our clients, so we depend on volunteers to spruce up our facilities. What an uplift National Semiconductor employees provided at our women and family center this weekend! We appreciate all that National Semiconductor does for us – from the executives on down. We consider you a special corporate partner who truly cares about your community. You have shown that you care in so many ways over the years - you are an inspiration to us and the clients we serve. Thank you for your tremendous goodwill – YOU ARE THE BEST!”

National employees including Donalyn Ruiz, Wendy Khoshnevis, Janie Flores and Jackie Erwin work hard to improve the exterior of the Georgia Travis Center in San Jose		Andrew Davis, a Staff Test Development Engineer, and his son Alexander work on the landscaping that welcomes clients to the Georgia Travis Center

CEO Shopping Challenge Breaks New Record for Generosity

Nov. 30, 2007 - At a San Jose, Calif. store, shopping carts collided and the back-up at the registers was legendary. But it wasn’t just another day of busy holiday shopping. It was the Third Annual Family Giving Tree CEO Challenge. In less than 22 minutes, over $188,000 worth of gifts were purchased to make the holiday season brighter for the less fortunate.

Created by National Semiconductor CEO Brian Halla two years ago as a way to raise gifts and awareness for the Family Giving Tree, the CEO Shopping Challenge is now a Silicon Valley tradition. CEOs and teams from National Semiconductor, NVIDIA, Palm, SanDisk, Silicon Graphics and Symmetricon frantically raced in the aisles of the Target store to complete shopping lists under a 20-minute time limit. Penalties were given for gifts exceeding the $30 limit and for gifts not on the company’s designated wish list.

Carts overflowed with dolls, electronics, sporting goods and warm coats for children. The items were purchased by the CEOs themselves, then donated to the Family Giving Tree, a non-profit organization that provides gifts and necessities to over 65,000 children annually.

Competition was fierce. So fierce, in fact, that SanDisk and Symmetricon tied to win the event by completing their shopping lists in 18 minutes, 48 seconds. The other teams were just minutes behind them in the closest race since the inception of the event. The six teams collectively purchased more than 8,500 gifts.

Mountains of toys and necessities were purchased through the event to benefit needy children.

In a creative twist, NVIDIA’s team purposefully ignored the $30 limit and bought the most expensive items within the store, which will be returned in exchange for store credit to the Family Giving Tree. Though they came in last place, NVIDIA’s generous play-to-lose strategy gave the Family Giving Tree $133,874 worth of gifts.

Halla and National Semiconductor provided key leadership for the event, from recruiting companies to participate to coordinating day-of-event logistics.

National Semiconductor's Web Business Group Helps Build a Better Community

Oct. 4, 2007 - Sore muscles and a sense of accomplishments were what employees in National Semiconductor's Web Business Group felt after a full day of hard work on September 28. This group of eleven employees, working at National's corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California, volunteered their time and energy on a home construction project through the Silicon Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Some of their work assignments during the day included plumbing, roofing, and installing siding for a two-story Habitat for Humanity house in San Jose, California. Once completed, this house will go to a low-income family who is in need of an affordable place to live.

Group members wore the traditional blue Community Care T-shirts and did their part in spreading the spirit of National to those who need a roof over their heads.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity, visit their website.

More local efforts...

Record-breaking year at the 2007 Silicon Valley Human Race

CEO Shopping Challenge Raises 7,000 Gifts for Needy Kids

National Employees Volunteer at Hands On Bay Area Event

The 2006 Silicon Valley Human Race

Summer Fellowships for Teachers

  Santa Clara Employees Break New Records in Generosity at the Human Race

May 16, 2007 - National Semiconductor's Santa Clara headquarters prevailed once again at this year’s Human Race in Mountain View, Calif., as National employees proved that when it comes to community support - National cannot be beat!

Sporting National tattoos and bright blue "Spirit of National" T-shirts, 322 National employees, their families and friends participated in the event, raising money for organizations and causes that they are passionate about.

For an unprecedented ninth year in a row, National employees have won the Corporate Challenge Trophy by raising the most money for charities through the Human Race Benefit Run/Walk. In addition to this honor, National's team set a new record within the state of California. This is the first year ever in the history of the Human Race in California, that a team raised more than $42,000. National's team broke that record by raising more than $47,800 for organizations such as the Assyrian Aid Society, American Cancer Society, Fremont High Band Boosters and UNICEF.

The Human Race, a 5k/10k run/walk for charities, is coordinated by the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley. National Semiconductor is a major sponsor of the event, which raises funds for hundreds of charities and unites thousands of people on race day.

 CEO Shopping Challenge Raises 7,000 Gifts for Needy Kids

National Semiconductor's team in a pre-event huddle, from left, Jeff Waters, Eddie Sweeney, Brian Halla and Mike Polacek.

Dec. 5, 2006 - Friday morning, December 1st, was not the day to shop at the Sunnyvale, Calif., Target store. That is unless you were part of the Second Annual Family Giving Tree CEO Challenge. Created by National Semiconductor CEO Brian Halla last year as a way to raise gifts and awareness for the Family Giving Tree, the CEO Shopping Challenge is on its way to becoming a Silicon Valley tradition.

CEOs and teams from Applied Materials, National Semiconductor, NVIDIA, Palm, SanDisk and Silicon Graphics frantically raced in the aisles of Target for twenty minutes piling carts high with Legos, Barbie dolls, electronics, sporting goods and warm coats for children. The items were purchased by the CEOs themselves, then donated to the Family Giving Tree, a non-profit organization that provides gifts and necessities to over 65,000 children annually.

National's CEO Brian Halla hauls radio-controlled cars.

 
"The results for this year's event were incredible," said an elated Brian Halla. "We shot for 2,500 gifts and hit 7,000. So much love and generosity was shown by each of the CEOs. I know that the checks and credit card slips signed on Friday are worth every penny if a few kids can smile on Christmas morning that might not have otherwise been able to do so."

Jennifer Cullenbine, Queen Elf and Founder of the Family Giving Tree, was equally excited about the results of the event. "The CEO Challenge has become an essential part of our gift-raising effort. The generosity that the CEOs showed is amazing. The time and money they donated will make the holidays so much brighter for thousands of children this year!"

Jen-Hsun Huang and the NVIDIA team won the event for the second year in a row by spending $49,971 on 2,395 gifts.

 National Employees Volunteer at Hands On Bay Area Event

Oct. 17, 2006 - On Saturday, Oct. 14, a group of National Semiconductor employees, with their family and friends, met in downtown San Jose, Calif., to help make life a bit easier for the poorest families in the community.

Each month, over 20,000 families receive free food and clothing through Sacred Heart Community Service. In assembly-line fashion, the National volunteers put together 700 grocery bags full of rice, beans, canned vegetables, cereal, peanut butter, and other essential items that will be distributed this week by the organization.

Juanita Catalon, of National's Accounts Payable department, was one of the National Semiconductor employees who came out for the event. "I had a great time. It was fun to meet National employees and do something good for others. We are very fortunate here. We have food and jobs. When you volunteer for a project like this, you learn what other people are dealing with and the struggles they face. It makes you really appreciate all you have."

An HR Process Analyst for National oversees the assembly of food bags at Sacred Heart Community Service.

The volunteer event, coordinated through Hands On Bay Area, was one of 75 activities involving over 2,000 volunteers that took place throughout the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday.

Eddie Tan, a Process Analyst in Human Resources at National Semiconductor, is also a volunteer Project Leader for Hands On Bay Area and helped coordinate the event. "Through the partnership with National's Community Relations and Hands On Bay Area, we were able to make a difference in the community we live in at Sacred Heart Community Service. It is very important to help those that are in need and to find ways to improve their lives, especially with the basics like food, clothing, education, and the longer-term impact that has for people. I am very proud to be part of National Semiconductor, which supports events like Hands On Bay Area Day and appreciate the volunteers that spent their weekend doing good."

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and would like to learn more about Hands On Bay Area and the volunteer projects they host every week, visit their website.

 National Reigns as Corporate Champion for 8th Year in the Human Race

National Semiconductor's team of participants celebrate as they are called on stage to receive the Corporate Challenge Trophy.

May 18, 2006 - National Semiconductor prevailed once again at this year’s Human Race in Mountain View, Calif. National employees, families, and friends once again proved that when it comes to community support -- National cannot be beat!

For an unprecedented eighth year in a row, National employees have won the Corporate Challenge Trophy by raising the most money for charities at the Human Race Benefit Run/Walk.

National’s team of 230 people raised more than $40,000 for organizations such as the Assyrian Aid Society, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

In addition to raising the most money collectively as a company, one National employee, Amir Razavi (of National's IS Business Application group), was recognized for his individual fundraising efforts. Amir came in first place by raising $4,576- the highest amount raised by any Human Race participant- for the American Cancer Society.

One of National's CTMG Customer Quality Engineering, and her guest, show their support as they begin the race.

The Human Race, a 5k/10k run/walk for charities, is coordinated by the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley. National Semiconductor is a major sponsor of the event, which raises funds for hundreds of charities and unites thousands of people on race day.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and wish to participate in the Human Race, please visit the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley's website.

 National Provides Summer Fellowships for Bay Area Teachers

Aug. 2, 2006 - San Francisco Bay Area educators are benefiting from a unique experience at National Semiconductor this summer. National has a strong partnership with Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education (IISME), and together the organizations are working to improve math and science education in the Bay Area. Partnering with IISME, National has provided 47 Summer Fellowships for local teachers since 2000.

Founded in 1985, IISME seeks to transform teaching and learning in the Bay Area by partnering with companies to provide teachers with useful experiences and tools that they can bring back to their classrooms. For the past 22 years, companies like National Semiconductor have hosted nearly 2,200 Fellowships--reaching 1.4 million Bay Area students over the years. This year, National is sponsoring six IISME teachers.

Each teacher is paired with a National employee, who serves as an advisor and mentor. This summer, IISME Fellows are working in a number of areas, on projects ranging from survey analysis, e-learning tool development, web design, documentation, special events and instructional design.

IISME Fellow Rob Warren, of National's HR Systems Group, is working on training materials on an upcoming employee action request (EAR) application.

Tiffany Tindle, National's HR Systems Manager has been very pleased with the IISME Program: "I've been elated with just how much of a help Rob is to us. He jumped right in and came up to speed on the project, including learning completely new applications and making connections with people he needs to work with."

She continued, "Most surprisingly, he's tremendously independent. His progress is faster than expected and of a higher caliber than we even hoped. So, suffice it to say, we're thrilled."

Teachers are equally excited about the IISME experience. Amanda Boniface, an elementary school teacher in Cupertino, California, and first-time IISME fellow really enjoyed her fellowship within the Government Affairs Department.

"My experience at National this summer has been great," said Amanda. "My mentors, Jeanette Morgan and Pam Baich, really went out of their way to include me in all aspects of the Government Affairs Department. They appreciated my unique skills and perspective and allowed me to work on a variety of interesting projects. I'm leaving with a much better understanding of how a high-tech company works and how much they value education. I learned there are companies out there like National that really care about teachers and actively try to build bridges between schools and the business sector."

And thanks to a strong nomination from Amanda, both Jeanette and Pam received the coveted "Outstanding Mentor" award at IISME's End of Summer Celebration.

By the end of the summer, the fellows will have created new lessons, curriculum, materials and teaching strategies to engage their students. Jennifer Bruckner, IISME’s Executive Director notes, "We consistently receive very positive feedback from IISME teachers and sponsors alike - - this unique professional development experience helps teachers to better understand the world they are preparing their students for, and helps them inspire more students to pursue careers in science, math and technology. "

If you are interested in learning more about IISME's Summer Fellowship Program, visit the IISME website.