Aftermath Services Awards $17,000 as Part of the 2018 “Why We Serve” Service Grant

AURORA, Ill. (August 8, 2018) – Officer Chris Shelly of the Stroud Area Regional Police in Pennsylvania was named as the first place grant recipient of the 2018 Aftermath Why We Serve Service Grant. The service grant was sponsored by Aurora-based biohazard remediation company Aftermath Services, which provides professional trauma and crime scene cleanup to families and businesses nationwide.

Members of law enforcement were asked to explain why they chose to serve and how they would use the grant to help improve their community. From over 100 entries and even more nominations, 16 finalists were chosen to showcase their experiences working with their chosen charity. During the 10-day voting period, people from across the country watched and voted for their favorite charitable cause on the Aftermath website and Instagram page. In total, the finalists collected over 55,000 votes.

As the first place grant winner, Officer Shelly will receive $5,000 to benefit his chosen community organization, the Olsen Christmas Wish. Olsen Christmas Wish was formed six years ago in honor of Jeffrey “JJ” Olsen, a veteran officer who committed suicide. Initially the group was created to help Jeff’s young sons attend college, but as Officer Shelly explains in his application video, it has become much more than that. After surpassing their original goals, the organization then switched gears to give back to the community during Christmas, a time when so many families are struggling.

During their first year, Olsen Christmas Wish held a community party to celebrate Officer Olsen and raised funds to assist a local child whose life had been impacted by the drug epidemic. Last year, they were able to help 41 area children. The organization now commemorates other fallen officers as well, paying tribute to them as they continue to care for the communities the officers devoted their lives to. Officer Shelly states that the $5,000 grant from Aftermath will go toward continuing this mission. The grant has also had a ripple effect, drawing attention from local media. Several area businesses have also matched the grant, bringing the group’s campaign total to $15,000 this year.

In addition to Officer Shelly’s grant, Aftermath also awarded a $3,000 grant to 2^nd place winners, Officer Phillip Richey and his four-legged partner, K9 Officer Raider, of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety in Alpharetta, Georgia. Their grant will go toward Public Safety Foundation, helping the community K9 team. In a tie for 3^rd place, Chief Jessica Robledo of Pflugerville, Texas and DJCO II Yuri Williams of the Orange County Probation Department each brought home $2,500 to their respective charities. Six other officers also received monetary awards.

As the nation’s largest dedicated crime scene cleanup company, Aftermath proudly recognizes the spirit of volunteerism embodied by our nation’s law enforcement. Already in its second year, the Why We Serve Grant is just one aspect of the Aftermath Cares program, which aims to acknowledge first responders for their ongoing efforts to serve, protect, and improve their communities. The company also sponsors a K9 grant each fall, an event that draws hundreds of thousands of participants across the country.

Aftermath Services routinely works alongside police and other first responders to provide high quality and compassionate crime scene cleanup and trauma cleaning services to families and businesses. The company also proactively assists with training and education on topics such as bloodborne pathogen safety and the appropriate use of PPE to law enforcement and other agencies.

Media Contact:
Tina Bao
Chief Marketing Officer
(630) 423-4254
tbao@aftermath.com

About Aftermath Services LLC.

Aftermath Services is the premier provider of trauma cleaning and biohazard remediation. Since 1996, we have provided professional and compassionate services to families, communities, and businesses after traumatic events. We believe that our customers deserve the highest quality service while being treated with dignity and respect. Aftermath has pioneered a sophisticated, science-based approach to remediation that protects the health and safety of people and restores property after tragedies. With 25 locations nationwide and emergency response available 24/7/365, our qualified and experienced crime scene cleanup professionals are able to help customers with a full range of biohazard remediation and cleaning assistance, including: homicide, suicide, unattended death, personal or industrial accidents, tear gas, and communicable disease outbreaks. For more information about Aftermath, visit www.aftermath.com or call (877) 872-4339.

For additional information on future law enforcement grants and contests, or to learn more about the relationship between Aftermath and law enforcement, visit www.aftermath.com.