3M’s 10 years of fundraising add up for ATSS Foundation

3M’s 10 years of fundraising add up for ATSS Foundation

Toward Zero Deaths Pledge Wall started with 3M’s iconic Post-it notes

When 3M started its annual Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) Pledge Wall campaign in 2016 at ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo in New Orleans, the company used a physical wall and the Post-it notes the company invented and that have become an office staple.

The TZD Pledge Wall shifted to a virtual format a few years later to make giving easier, but the company has never swerved from serving as sponsor and offering an annual matching donation of at least $5,000 to benefit the American Traffic Safety Services (ATSS) Foundation.

This year, 3M celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the wall and exceeded in overall funds contributed to the Foundation.

“We are extremely grateful for 3M’s generosity and its long-term commitment to the Foundation,” said ATSS Foundation Board Chair Kevin Shelton. “Consistent partners like 3M are a tremendous help in our ability to carry out our charitable programs.”

In its first year in 2016, 3M matched all donations, which were $13,637, raising a total of $32,274 for that year’s campaign, the highest in the history of the TZD Pledge Wall, according to Foundation statistics.

This year’s 10^th anniversary TZD Pledge Wall raised $31,359, including contributions, which included an offer to match the first $10,000 in donations, celebrating the anniversary, and their annual $5,000 sponsorship for the wall. People had the opportunity to contribute from Jan. 1 through the end of ATSSA’s 2025 Convention & Traffic Expo on March 4.

“We are forever grateful to 3M for its support and the impact it has had on the lives we seek to help through programs such as the Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship and the National Work Zone Memorial,” said Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “We are also grateful to every individual who contributed this year and in the prior nine years 3M has operated the TZD Pledge Wall. We couldn’t administer the programs we run without companies and individuals providing the resources.”

“3M is a proud partner of the ATSS Foundation. The TZD Pledge Wall Campaign is a great way to recognize the important work of the ATSS Foundation and encourage others to support its programs,” said 3M Transportation Safety Division’s Peter Johnston. “We are thrilled with the results and want to thank our industry colleagues for their generosity and support.”

The ATSS Foundation is the charitable arm of ATSSA and exists to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs. Programs include the National Work Zone Memorial and three scholarships – the Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship, the Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarship and the Marty Weed Engineering Scholarship. They also include youth programs such as the Work Zone Activity Book and the Teen Driver Program, a free online course geared to teens and new drivers.