• Matter’s Helping Hands Volunteer Recap for May 2018

    Matter’s Helping Hands Volunteer Recap for May 2018

     

    Matter’s Helping Hands initiative encourages a nationwide community service effort that is rewarding and fulfilling for all of the employees. With 1000 plus hours of impactful volunteer work done each year, Matter is truly making an impact on its surrounding communities. 

     

    203 volunteer hours!

    This past month, Matter employees across five offices reached a combined total of 203 volunteer hours. This brings the current yearly total to 494, (almost!) halfway to the yearly goal of 1000 hours.

    Matter is one of the many companies that offer employees time to volunteer during work hours, a concept becoming known as VTO (Volunteer Time Off). VTO does not cut into an employee’s sick or vacation time; it is a tangible benefit above regular PTO. If you are considering adding VTO to your benefits package, you should know that it is known to aid in recruitment, retention and corporate visibility. In an article in Fortune, it is stated that employees feel a deeper connection and commitment to the work when they get to participate versus there being a corporate donation. This month, Matter employees were thrilled to help make an impact and volunteer with four different organizations.

     

    The Food Project at Wenham Farm

    Employees from the Newburyport and Boston offices volunteered at Wenham Farm, taking part in the Food Project. This group was hard at work outside weeding, planting, harvesting, washing vegetables and cleaning up the farm.

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    Community Food Share

    The Boulder office spent some time at the Community Food Share, an organization that aims to eliminate hunger in Boulder and Broomfield Counties through engagement, collaboration, and leadership. They helped with sorting produce, canned goods, and restocking pantry shelves.

     

    Ronald McDonald House

    A group from Matter Providence went to the local Ronald McDonald House, which acts as a ‘home away from home’ for families whose children are receiving care at local hospitals. The team helped to deep clean three of their temporary resident bedrooms.

    /></p> <p> </p> <h1>Oregon Food Bank</h1> <p>The Matter Portland office worked with <a href=Oregon Food Bank helping to package over 2,000 pounds of food for Portland residents in need.

     

    Nick Murray

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  • An HR Perspective on a Successful Company Volunteer Initiative

    For an HR professional working at a PR agency, I’m embarrassed to admit- but I’m no expert on blog posts (this is actually my first one ever so I hope I do my colleagues proud!)

    I started at Matter six months ago and was asked to lead our Helping Hands Matter Initiative (aka our amazing volunteer program). I was already excited to take on my new role as HR Manager and to join Matter, but to be asked to lead such a great initiative was a bonus.  I’ve always enjoyed volunteering in some capacity, but never truly knew how passionate I was about giving back until I started working at Matter as it is engrained in the culture here.

    Throughout the Matter website, you can visually see that Matter is committed to making a difference to those in need. Our efforts are encouraged by the motto People in need matter. Helping hands matter.  To see this written is one thing, but to actually witness the dedication, support and enthusiasm across all five of our offices has been beyond amazing and quite frankly- heartwarming to see. Some of our activities have included (but trust me this is not an all-inclusive list): volunteering at homeless shelters, sponsoring and serving meals to local communities, donating time at animal shelters, organizing supply drives for local communities, to all five of our offices participating in a walk to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis.

    You might be wondering how all of our employees and all of our offices are involved in this program. Every employee is encouraged to submit suggestions to the Helping Hands committee at any time. Each office has an AWESOME lead for this initiative and they meet with the committee members on a monthly basis to discuss any submitted suggestions and approve what organizations we will be supporting and/or sponsoring for the upcoming months. Currently, we have events booked through July!

    We have an agency goal of 500 hours by the end of 2016 and I’m happy to report that with just four months into the year we crossed the 300-hour mark at the end of April.  For a company with approximately 120 employees, this is an incredible accomplishment and I am 100% confident we will surpass the 500-hour mark well before the end of the year (if we don’t, I will write another blog admitting I was wrong!).

    Month after month, I am blown away by the excitement and support that this program has received and am forever thankful to Matter and our employees (now this blog is turning into a love letter) for making me realize one of the things I am most passionate about in life- giving back and making an impact in the lives of those in need.

    As Dr. Loretta Scott once said “we can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

    Matter

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