Thursday, November 21, 2024
USPS Operation Santa launches online catalog
The new option is powered by Toys ‘R’ Us
The Postal Service has introduced Santa’s Gift Shoppe, an online catalog — powered by Toys “R” Us — that USPS Operation Santa program participants can use to shop for gifts and ship them with just a click.
USPS Operation Santa allows generous people from across the United States to help fulfill the holiday wishes of families in need by adopting their letters to Santa Claus.
The online catalog offers a selection of toys and gifts from Toys “R” Us, allowing letter adopters to find something special for each letter writer. The shipping options include USPS Ground Advantage, an affordable service that can help ensure gifts arrive in time for the holidays.
“USPS Operation Santa has connected communities through holiday goodwill for over a century,” said Sheila Holman, the Postal Service’s marketing vice president. “This year, through our collaboration with Toys ‘R’ Us, we’re thrilled to bring an easier way for generous people to make a difference. With the launch of this new e-commerce platform, we’re making it simpler than ever to help fulfill wishes and spread holiday joy.”
The Postal Service hopes to expand the Santa’s Gift Shoppe catalog to include clothing, shoes, books and more.
The catalog launched Nov. 18, the first day people can adopt letters.
“At Toys ‘R’ Us, our mission is to bring joy to children, and what better way than to surprise them with gifts from Santa,” said Gary Haas, the company’s e-commerce vice president. “Through this new e-commerce platform, generous individuals can easily adopt a letter to Santa and help create magical moments for a new generation of Toys ‘R’ Us kids.”
The USPS Operation Santa website has more information, including participation instructions.
Off the Clock
A woman of depth
This employee transformed her fear into her passion
My name is Charlitha Arney — people call me “Charlie” — and I am a customer service operations manager in Minneapolis.
I just got my Professional Association of Diving Instructors open water scuba certification this year at age 47.
For a long time, my biggest fear was the water. At some point, I realized that I’d already overcome so much adversity in my life and decided to tackle this fear head on. I started with swimming lessons and kept pushing myself until diving underwater was the next step.
It took more than a dozen hours of online learning, two days of in-pool testing and three days of open water testing; it was intense.
In July, I did my open water certification testing in Bonaire, which is an island off the coast of Venezuela. There are plenty of lakes in Minnesota, but I wanted to do my testing in a warmer environment because you lose energy and heat in the cold water.
It really is amazing under the water, and it feels unreal. In Bonaire, I was exploring a whole new world that I never knew existed!
I saw such incredible — and sometimes scary — things under water. I saw a pod of dolphins, an octopus and even a barracuda. Most of the fish are friendly, and they just come right up to your face. And you wouldn’t believe all the colors you can see down there.
It’s also a freeing experience. When you’re down there, you don’t think about what’s happening above the water — you’re just in the moment.
I haven’t been able to dive since July, but it’s important to keep up your skills. There is a place in nearby Maple Grove, MN, with a very deep pool where I’m able to practice with my equipment.
I haven’t convinced any co-workers to join me under water yet, but I have talked some of them into learning how to swim or enrolling their children in a swim class.
Later this year, I’m starting on my advanced open water certification, which will allow me to go to a depth of 130 feet. I plan to travel to Honduras for that test.
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.
What’s the difference between an HMO and a PPO?
Here’s a guide to the various types of health plans
The Postal Service wants employees to understand the four types of health plans available during this year’s open season.
The plan types are:
• Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, which provide care from in-network physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas;
• Preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, which offer fee-for-service plans that allow you to choose physicians, hospitals and other health care providers both inside and outside of a network;
• High-deductible health plans, or HDHPs, which offer plans with low premiums and high deductibles that must be met before insurance begins to cover costs; and
• Consumer-driven health plans, or CDHPs, which are high-deductible plans that are usually coupled with a tax-advantaged health savings account to help offset costs.
USPS is encouraging employees to learn about the available plans to find one that best fits their needs.
This year’s open season runs through Monday, Dec. 9.
The MyHR website’s open season page has additional information, as well as a link to Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees, a resource that can help employees evaluate and compare specific plans.
WestPac Area, Pennsylvania 1 District lead in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.34 percent during the week ending Nov. 15, down 0.18 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected Nov. 20.
WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.66 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 97.08 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, Pennsylvania 1, part of Atlantic Area, ranked first with a 98.26 percent rating, while Delaware-Pennsylvania 2, also part of Atlantic Area, ranked last with a 94 percent rating.
Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.