TI employee Ezekiel Harvey volunteered at the Halloween party for homeless children recently.

TI and distributor Arrow Electronics recently partnered to throw a Halloween party for children served through InnVision the Way Home, the Silicon Valley's leading provider of housing and services for homeless families and individuals.

Fifty volunteers from TI’s Silicon Valley site and Arrow hosted more than 200 low-income and homeless children, along with their families, for a "spooktacular," fun-filled Halloween celebration. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the party — InnVision's largest and best-attended event of the year, and a longtime favorite for National Semiconductor, now TI.

"For many years, National had a wonderful partnership with InnVision," said Joan Scott, community relations director for TI Silicon Valley. "The annual Halloween Party is a favorite for employees and InnVision families alike.

"It was great to have employees from the TI Sunnyvale office, as well as many of us who have been working together for years, at the event. The best part of all is to see the smiling faces – the kids in costumes and face-paint and the parents who were all so grateful for TI and Arrow's support."

Family friendly activities
This year's event included family friendly festivities, including a bounce house and haunted room, carnival games, arts and crafts, face painting and piñatas, as well as a carnival-theme lunch — from nachos and pizza to popcorn and hotdogs.

Children were invited to select and keep Halloween costumes donated by TI and Arrow employees and community members.

"I loved seeing all the kids dressed up in their costumes, smiling and having fun," said Lynn Lavis, a TI employee. "This was my third year helping out with the party. My favorite moment this year, and every year, is when the piñata breaks open and all the kids scream and scramble. It is total chaos but so worth it to see the kids so excited!"

Giving back
For some, volunteering at the annual event is a family affair. Ezekiel Harvey, technical sales representative for TI in Sunnyvale, has been participating in this event with his wife, Marie for two years. This year, they included their daughter, Taliyah.

"Helping others is an important part of the family values instilled in me by my parents," Harvey said. "The faces of the kids and their parents are the highlight. They really appreciate the work put into the event and for a three-hour period they can forget about the struggles of life."

He said he and his family are thankful for the opportunity to support such a worthwhile cause.

This event continues a longtime partnership of year-round community support for homeless and at-risk children and families served through InnVision the Way Home.