This story was submitted by Cadence Design Systems.
Volunteering and giving back is at the core of Cadence culture. It’s one reason why Cadence is consistently recognized on Fortune’s Great Place To Work (#9 in 2023) with 94% of employees stating that, “they feel good about the ways we contribute to the community.” This year, we celebrate our 8th annual Season of Giving, unifying our efforts across the globe to volunteer all quarter-long. Each year, Cadence employees around the world come together to participate in Season of Giving, our largest annual volunteer campaign. Over 60 Cadence employee volunteer leads have planned and executed 60 volunteer projects in 37 cities across the world engaging 1,900 employees (that’s nearly 20% of the company). Altogether, Cadence donated more than $250,000 in charitable contributions and 5,700 hours of employee volunteer time to complete these projects.
This year’s volunteer projects cover a wide range of areas that are employees are most passionate about including sorting, packing, and distributing meals, coastal cleanups, tree planting, public space and playground restoration, working in animal shelters, supporting kids and adults with learning disabilities or complex needs, distributing warm winter clothing, providing access to quality healthcare and medical treatments, working in women’s shelters, supporting mental health and wellness, and wetland ecosystem restoration.
In Pune, India, 40 Cadence employees spent a full day volunteering at Punarutthan Samarsata Gurukulam, a local school that supports the welfare of the tribal community, and social upliftment of Nomadic Tribes and communities by providing a residential facility, daily meals, and education to over 300 students. Cadence employees engaged students in different activities like wall painting, candle making, bag making, and pottery. Volunteers also got their hands dirty feeding and caring for cows and other animals at the “Gaushala” (cow barn). Cadence employees also donated to construct a compound wall by the river to keep the school and students safe from floods.
In San Jose, California where Cadence is headquartered, employees volunteered at Second Harvest Food Bank packing 720 boxes of produce, equivalent to 9 tons of food. These produce boxes will feed 2,880 people in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
Cadence’s Season of Giving is a testament to our company’s ongoing commitment to volunteering and impacting our community, and we are proud to see our employees making a difference as One Cadence, One Team.
This story was submitted by cred.
Here at cred, our team is committed to Pledge 1%—giving our time and products to benefit non-profit organizations and underserved communities. Through programs like credVoices (our pro bono initiative) and credService (our internal philanthropy team), cred has continued to prioritize finding philanthropic opportunities and educational resources for employees to get involved in. We look forward to continuing to build on our efforts to have a greater impact on the communities we operate in while building a stronger company culture centered on service. So far in 2023, our small but mighty team of 25 has raised over $1,000 to be donated and dedicated 30 hours towards these initiatives.
cred started the year by honoring Women’s History Month in March and supported the Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center located in Berkeley. The center has provided over 30 years of service and serves an average of 150 unhoused women and children per month. Our team raised over $500 to go towards basic necessities such as hygiene items, baby wipes/diapers, and more. During Q2 of 2023, our company supported Juneteenth by creating a resource guide for our remote team to make donations, learn more about the holiday, and support Black-owned businesses within their own community.
In September, we celebrated National Food Bank Day and gathered over $500 in donations for the Alameda County Community Food Bank located in Oakland, which has been around for over 35 years and distributes millions of meals every year. We look forward to rounding out the year with a final service initiative supporting Hamilton Families, whose mission is to is to end family homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area, by sponsoring families through their Holiday Gift Drive.
Bringing kindness and service into the workplace has made a transformative impact on our employees, company culture, and overall success. As the saying goes, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Let us cultivate a culture of service in our workplaces and witness the remarkable impact it can have on everyone involved.
This story was submitted by Candor Threads.
After the devastating August 2023 Maui fires, communities were left grappling with the destruction and loss that the natural disaster had brought upon their lives. Among the countless stories of resilience and hope, one in particular stood out.
We received an email from Miguel Solice, the head of Maui Preparatory Academy. He had a simple request – custom Hawaiian shirts for his school’s teachers and staff to lift their spirits after the chaos and sadness of the Lahaina fires. His words painted a vivid picture of the challenges faced by their community. Miguel shared, “We’re the only school fully functioning on the west side. On the night of the fires in Lahaina, our school became a shelter. It’s hard to grasp what we’re dealing with here, and I think much of the world doesn’t really understand what’s happening.”
Miguel’s aim was to bring back a sense of normalcy for his students and families. Without a second thought, we knew we had to help. The next day, we contacted Miguel to let him know we’d be happy to donate the shirts. His response was overwhelming: “Wow! I cannot state how wonderful this is for our school. We will all love them so much. I’m sending a great deal of love and Aloha from my school to yours.” Miguel was ecstatic, and so were we!
Within 24 hours, our team created designs using their school colors and logo. Miguel approved designs and we headed right into production. Eight weeks later, the shirts arrived at the school, ready to serve as symbols of hope, togetherness, and resilience.
Recently, we received a heartfelt email from Miguel expressing his gratitude. He told us the shirts were a huge hit! The teachers and staff proudly wore them for re-enrollment and the parents and students loved them. It was a special day for sure.
Making an impact is at the core of our values. When we do make a difference, there’s no feeling quite like it. As the shirts become a part of the school uniform, we’re certain they’ll serve as a source of joy and unity, reminding everyone that even in the darkest moments, a community’s collective strength can pave the way for a brighter future.
This story was submitted by SOLVD.
We were able to help 51 families and 144 children in our local community whom all live below the poverty line. By giving them gifts for under the tree with necessities like socks, jackets, and clothes as well as some fun toys, then we celebrated together with a warm holiday meal with holiday crafts, decorated cookies, and had some fun giveaways to the families.
Thank you to our sponsors who donated Trove Brands, Clean Simple Eats, Just Ingredients, Inc., Minky Couture Designer Blankets. Thank you if you donated in a monetary way or with your time, we truly appreciate every single one of you.
This story was submitted by carryt.
En respuesta a su solicitud, deseamos compartir la historia de impacto que llevamos a cabo en Carryt en colaboración con la Fundación Sanar. Nuestro compromiso se centra en brindar apoyo integral a las familias con niños afectados por el cáncer. Estamos impulsando un programa de voluntariado interno donde nuestro equipo ofrece su tiempo y habilidades para brindar asistencia a estas familias, además de apoyar con el apadrinamiento de una familia, proporcionando ayuda mensual para cubrir necesidades básicas y mejorando sus condiciones de vida a través de mejoras en sus hogares, especialmente aquellos con recursos limitados.
Además, durante la temporada navideña, nos dedicamos a brindarles alegría a los niños a través de la donación de regalos. Asimismo, contribuimos mensualmente con donaciones de Carryts para facilitar la recolección de materiales reciclables, lo cual constituye una fuente vital de ingresos para la Fundación Sanar y un soporte fundamental para las familias.
Entendemos que el impacto no siempre se mide por grandes números, sino por las acciones significativas que mejoran vidas. Estamos orgullosos de participar en esta iniciativa, sabiendo que cada pequeño aporte contribuye a hacer del mundo un lugar mejor.
Gracias por su continua inspiración y apoyo. Estamos comprometidos a seguir fortaleciendo esta labor en beneficio de aquellos que más lo necesitan.
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In response to your request, we want to share the impact story we carried out at Carryt in collaboration with the Sanar Foundation. Our commitment focuses on providing comprehensive support to families with children affected by cancer. We are promoting an internal volunteer program where our team offers their time and skills to provide assistance to these families, in addition to supporting the sponsorship of a family, providing monthly help to cover basic needs, and improving their living conditions through improvements in their homes, especially those with limited resources.
Additionally, during the Christmas season, we are dedicated to bringing joy to children through the donation of gifts. Likewise, we contribute monthly with Carryts donations to facilitate the collection of recyclable materials, which constitutes a vital source of income for the Sanar Foundation and a fundamental support for families.
We understand that impact is not always measured by big numbers, but by meaningful actions that improve lives. We are proud to participate in this initiative, knowing that every small contribution contributes to making the world a better place.
Thank you for your continued inspiration and support. We are committed to continuing to strengthen this work for the benefit of those who need it most.
This story was submitted by Drone Deploy.
DroneDeploy employees built and donated 100 robots to the Boys and Girls Club of Austin, a non-profit organization that provides after-school programs and activities for children and teenagers.
The organization serves over 10,000 young people in the Austin area and relies heavily on community support to fund its programs.
The event, which was facilitated in partnership with Give to Get, brought together employees from different DroneDeploy departments including engineering, marketing, and sales to problem-solve and aid the local youth organization.
The donation of robots will provide the club with a new and exciting educational tool to engage young people in STEM subjects.
The robots are modular and customizable, and can be adapted for a variety of applications. Students can teach basic movement and obstacle avoidance to the robots, and even code more advanced tasks.
“Building skill sets for problem-solving is incredibly important, and robots and coding are a perfect tool to teach this with,” said Bert Garcia, Director of STEM and YAI at the Boys and Girls Club of Austin.
The DroneDeploy team divided into pairs to build the robots. Since the robots were intended for young students it was important that the small parts and basic functions were already built in. Assembling the robots required careful attention to detail and coordination between team members, but the groups quickly found their rhythm and worked efficiently.
The activity was organized by DroneDeploy.org, DroneDeploy’s philanthropic arm. Employees left the event feeling proud of their work and inspired by the impact they had made on the community.
“It was an amazing experience to see our team come together and build something that will benefit the youth of Austin,” said Gayatri Shahane, Data Scientist at DroneDeploy. “We hope that our donation of robots will inspire young people to explore STEM subjects and pursue careers in technology.”
This story was submitted by EpiGrowth LLC.
EpiGrowth is proud to be a Salesforce Partner and has joined the Pledge 1% initiative. Giving back to the community is important to the consulting team and we are thrilled to announce our 2 year commitment to Peace Boat US in 2023 and 2024!
Over the 2 year period, EpiGrowth will donate $20,000 to support the non-profit organization Peace Boat US. The organization supports youth education for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on ocean and climate action as part of the endorsed programs for the UN Ocean Decade from 2020 – 2030. Through partnerships for stakeholder engagement with the Decade, Peace Boat US is also organizing a series of Blue Innovation Receptions where EpiGrowth is financially supporting innovation for blue technology, decarbonization and education around SDG 14 for Life Below Water.
Peace Boat US aims to promote and strengthen youth engagement with the UN SDGs campaign, a goal identified as critical to achieving the SDGs. The program is open to participants of any age and background, with a limited number of full and partial scholarships available through a merit and need-based application process for young people working in SDG-related areas in their home countries.
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EpiGrowth takes a bespoke, relationship-based approach to delivery and partnership, offering a blend of Big Consulting and industry-specific expertise across our team of highly skilled consultants with 170+ certifications in-house.
Focusing on the SMB and Mid-Market businesses, EpiGrowth’s strengths include core Sales and Service Cloud alongside an expert Experience Cloud practice. Client success stories include High Tech, Professional Services, and Consumer Goods industries.
More information on Youth for the SDGs scholarship program.
Arctic Voyage report for the UN Ocean Decade.
This story was submitted by Braze.
Earlier this month, Braze held its third annual Volunteer Week, a global week of service where employees are encouraged to take time out of their busy work schedules to give back to the local communities where we live and work.
At Braze, our Social Impact mission is to use our technology, ecosystem, and people to advance equitable growth, accelerate science-based climate solutions, and create opportunity for underserved groups within our communities. Volunteer Week is a big part of how we amplify our impact for and with our communities, and we are incredibly grateful to each employee who gave their time.
The week consisted of 33 in-person and eight virtual volunteer events, where a total of 540 employees rolled up their sleeves to serve over 1,200 total hours in support of 19 nonprofit organizations. Below is a recap of our global volunteer activities organized by cause area:
Providing access to healthy and nutritious food
Employees volunteered their time in support of organizations tackling food insecurity and providing access to nutritious foods for those in need. From sorting and packaging more than 2,700 meals-worth of food donations for vulnerable communities in Central Texas, to hand-delivering warm meals to homebound elderly in NYC, employees across six global cities served over 300 hours to address this critical cause.
“Braze volunteers helped to pack 758 boxes of food, weighing a total of 6,550 lbs. That is equivalent to approximately 5,295 meals for our neighbors facing food insecurity. Your impact is immeasurable, and we are grateful for Braze’s investment in our mission.”
-Charlene Moser, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Food Bank of the Rockies
Organizations supported:
Austin: Central Texas Food Bank
Australia: Our Big Kitchen
Chicago: Common Pantry
Denver: Food Bank of the Rockies
NYC: Citymeals on Wheels
Paris: Secours Populaire
Supporting ecological restoration and conservation efforts
Employees spent their time protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable ecosystems. In Los Angeles, a group of remote employees participated in an ecological restoration event with TreePeople to clear invasive species, plant new trees, and learn about the natural ecology of their urban environment. In London, employees volunteered with both The Conservation Volunteers and Global Generation to promote sustainable habitats for the local community through planting and woodworking. NYC-based employees conducted gardening maintenance with Fort Greene Park, and employees in San Francisco carried out various habitat restoration tasks at Mount Sutro alongside Sutro Stewards.
Serving our unhoused neighbors
Across Austin, Berlin, and NYC, employees dedicated their time to nonprofits in direct service of those experiencing homelessness. Austin employees prepared and served warm meals for over 150 individuals at Caritas of Austin. Berlin employees conducted an aid mission on Berlin’s streets to supply vulnerable individuals with hot meals, beverages, clothing, and essential items through Berliner Obdachlosenhilfe. And, despite the unforeseen air quality impacts drifting over from the Canadian wildfires, employees in New York City rallied together to serve meals at Bowery Mission in the Lower East Side.
“Braze has shown their dedication to ending homelessness in our city by not only supporting our Community Kitchen through preparing and distributing meals but also by doubling their impact through meal sponsorships. Thank you, Braze, for continuing to support our work of ending homelessness and establishing well-being in Austin!”
-Perla Carranza, Community Partner Coordinator at Caritas of Austin
Removing waste from our waters
In Tokyo, volunteers removed over 1,300 liters of trash along the Arakawa River in partnership with Hands on Tokyo. In Chicago, employees gathered to clean up North Avenue Beach in an effort to conserve and restore the world’s largest freshwater resource alongside the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Singapore employees volunteered with Waterways Watch Society, collecting more than 140 liters of trash via pedal boat in the Marina Reservoir.
Empowering youth development and career readiness
Braze team members volunteered virtually with SuitUp, an organization on a mission to increase career readiness for all students through innovative business plan competitions. Volunteers leveraged their skills to coach students through the creation of a marketing strategy pitch, providing them with exposure to corporate employment opportunities that exist beyond higher education.
Providing sighted support for the visually-impaired
Employees from around the globe opted to volunteer virtually with Be My Eyes, a social enterprise app that pairs volunteers with individuals needing sighted support through a one-way video interface. Braze volunteers helped individuals with a variety of tasks such as reading a blood pressure monitor, checking sell-by dates on food items, troubleshooting thermostats, organizing medication, and sorting mail.
We’d like to extend our gratitude to the staff of each organization mentioned above, whose time and investment in bringing our employee groups in to support their work does not go unnoticed. And on behalf of the Social Impact team, we look forward to sharing future updates with you all as we strive to build a year-round culture of volunteerism at Braze.
This story was submitted by Insured Nomads.
Insurance for the modern company with distributed teams, remote workers and travelers is a segment that protects against financial loss due to illness and injury but in the case of Insured Nomads, it also protects much more than their members.
Before they had members with policies they partnered with Not for Sale, a globally recognized non-profit that has been awarded the Candid Platinum seal for transparency and highly ranked by Charity Navigator for their work in supporting those who are exploited, vulnerable to exploitation, and forced labor.
Insured Nomads has been a member of Pledge 1% for 3 years now in their commitment to give from the profits and proceeds from purchases in their culture of generosity.
Not For Sale was able to help 80,844 survivors and at-risk individuals in 10 countries. They helped over 70,000 people by providing access to an array of services – such as skills training, jobs, access to capital, clean water, social services, education, trafficking prevention, and more.
People and Planet
The work we’ve carried out for almost 20 years has addressed extreme exploitation across the globe and led to two major takeaways:
1.The economic conditions in many of the places they work require decades to elevate entire communities out of desperate conditions. This long-term engagement can take the form of traditional philanthropy, healthy governance and the careful cultivation of healthy financial systems.
2. Many of the people clearing our planet’s rain forests and digging up minerals are doing so under the condition of forced labor. It’s often the most exploited people who are forced to extract the planet’s resources. So, addressing exploitation at the crossroads of people and planet is critical to our future.
Only through the multi-pronged empowerment of at-risk people in places like the Amazon and Central African rainforests will we see a planet where we are truly Not For Sale.
Nearly everything we consume — from clothing, to the batteries in our cell phones, to the fish we eat — has forced labor and exploitation hidden somewhere inside its production.
At Insured Nomads and Not For Sale, we envision a future without exploitation and forced labor — where everyone has access to dignified opportunities and the resources they need to thrive.
Learn more about Insured Nomads commitment to social impact and Not For Sale by visiting this page.