December 16, 2021

We never know when we’ll be faced with what might seem like an impossible situation. It’s during those times when we often realize we’re not alone – and help is available.

Eleven years ago, Chrissy Todd, general manager, Transmission Operations Support, had no idea how a local nonprofit organization would help her family through a challenging time.

“Our twins, Wyatt and Alexis, were born very prematurely, weighing just 1½ pounds each. As a result, they had to spend 118 days in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) until they were strong enough to come home,” she said.

Chrissy, who has been with the company for 13 years, said the Ronald McDonald House supported her through that time of adversity.

“I was blessed to stay at the Ronald McDonald House near Akron Children’s Medical Center,” she said. “Having the opportunity to stay there for a little over a month provided me the ability to be close to my twins while they were most critical.”

Ronald McDonald House provides accommodations, free of charge, for families whose children are being treated at nearby medical facilities.

“It’s such a wonderful organization and the support it offers families is phenomenal. Having a place to stay next to the hospital with a private room, meals, services and a community of support enables families to be together while their child is receiving medical care.” said Chrissy.

The generosity of the donors and volunteers is what makes the organization possible, she noted. Chrissy and her family have been Ronald McDonald House supporters since the birth of the twins. In addition to volunteering, they provide an annual financial contribution that covers the cost of a room for an entire year.

“It’s important for us to give back to the house,” she said. “It’s not just the volunteering and financial support. It’s about giving hope for other families facing a difficult time.”

A Special Recognition

Recently, Chrissy and her family played a major role in the Wine, Women and Shoes event. This special fundraiser benefits programs that serve families with children receiving medical care in northeast Ohio.

“The chief development officer for Ronald McDonald House Northeast Ohio asked if we would be the featured family for this year’s event,” said Chrissy. “We felt this would be a wonderful opportunity for our kids to help support Ronald McDonald House and hoped that sharing our story would inspire hope for families dealing with difficult circumstances.”

The event was broadcast live on a local television station which also featured an interview with Chrissy sharing her personal story. You can see Chrissy’s interview here* and highlights of the event here*.

One thing Chrissy is profoundly grateful for is the support she received from FirstEnergy.

“The company was very flexible with my work situation when I returned after maternity leave. I worked at the Akron General Office where I could head to the nearby NICU in the evenings or when needed,” she said. “Once the twins came home, I was able to use family medical leave to take care of them.”

Chrissy said it’s also inspiring to see how caring and compassionate FirstEnergy employees are in the ways they support their coworkers, as well as addressing the needs within our communities.

“The pandemic has made times more challenging with many families experiencing hardships. I would encourage employees to continue to get involved, utilize the Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program and know that you are making a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Chrissy.

Chrissy in back, with her children, Carter (front row); and Wyatt and Alexis (second row).

In 2019, Chrissy coordinated a volunteer event for Ronald McDonald House in Akron. A group of FirstEnergy employees used their VTO to prepare meals for the residents. L.-r.: Melinda Hunsche, engineer IV; Bryan Hunsche, supervisor, Transmission Engineering Design (back); Amanda McIntosh, engineer III; Mardi Gibson, advanced administrative assistant; Chrissy; and Morgan Meehan, supervisor, Transmission Engineering Design. Not pictured is Conor Melichar, engineer III.

*By clicking the links in this article, you are entering websites maintained by outside parties, which are entirely responsible for the sites’ content.