Doing Well by Doing Good: See How We Helped Restore Communities During Zebra’s Second Annual #GlobalWeekofService
Sense. Analyze. Act.
It’s the framework of Zebra’s solutions, and incidentally, the formula followed by Zebra employees as we thoughtfully executed our second annual Global Week of Service.
Be it from local news, social media or what we see and hear as we go about our daily lives, it’s relatively easy to get a pulse on our communities, to sense what they have and what they’re missing.
As the pandemic continues to have an impact globally, it’s become slightly more difficult to analyze what’s going on. With limited time and resources, we might ask ourselves: How best can I provide relief? Where am I needed most? How do I get involved?
And while most of us are aware of the needs of our respective communities, it takes a special selflessness to act on them.
While Zebra has been helping our communities consistently throughout the pandemic (and as safely as possible), we asked employees earlier this year to more closely assess the situations in their local communities and see if there were any new or growing needs.
Of course, those who lost their jobs and are frequenting their local food banks still need help. So do the elderly who are feeling isolated while residing in care homes where visitors are not yet allowed, and the families who lost their homes to natural disasters in recent months.
What we further realized was that it’s not just the people requiring services who are struggling right now. The people providing these services are increasingly in need of our help, too. The staffers of the food banks, the nurses at assisted living facilities and the disaster relief workers clearing up debris. The delivery drivers, healthcare providers, warehouse workers, emergency responders, teachers and flight attendants. Since the beginning of 2020, burnout has disproportionately permeated the global community of service-oriented workers.
That’s why we set out to restore front-line heroes for our 2021 Global Week of Service. And we’re proud to share that at least 1,150 hours were volunteered (a 13% increase over last year) by 167 Zebras with 47 organizations in 11 countries.
We wrote thank you letters, mailed gift cards, and stepped in to serve as front-line workers ourselves, if even for a brief period. We hope that our contributions big and small have helped to take even a little weight off their shoulders.
Take a peek at some of the organizations we worked with in each region:
The United Way of Bengaluru is a non-profit organization based in India that envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability and healthy lives. Its mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world. Its parent organization, United Way, is the oldest and largest privately funded charity in the world. It has a presence in more than 40 countries and hosts millions of volunteers annually.
Zebras from our Bangalore, India, office worked with the United Way of Bengaluru to distribute hundreds of meals to underprivileged groups, including migrant workers, students from a school for the blind and residents of shelter homes.
Keep Britain Tidy is a charity with three goals: eliminate litter while identifying the problem to change behavior permanently; end waste by inspiring reuse and recycling; and improve public places so people can be proud of them and prosper within.
A group of Zebras based in the United Kingdom cleaned up litter from the beach to tackle the trash that blights their community (and costs millions to clean up each year).
Club de Niños y Niñas del Estado de México
Club de Niños y Niñas del Estado de México (Boys and Girls Club of Mexico) seeks to improve the quality of life for children and young people in Mexico. The organization’s mission is to inspire and train youth, especially those in disadvantaged circumstances, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible and committed citizens. The Club was founded in 2008 with support from the Boys and Girls Club of America, and now operates across nine centers in Mexico and serves thousands of children daily with educational programs focused on human development, healthy lives, sports and art.
One Zebra employee volunteered her time remotely to teach a group of students about the basics of Microsoft Excel. This is one of many online activities the Club offers students so they can have a safe space to play, learn and grow while finding enrichment through experiences and activities.
Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk
The vision of Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The organization is an independently operated affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home, and believes affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities.
Zebras based out of our Holtsville, New York, office gathered in Central Islip in July to help complete construction on a home for a family in need. They spent the day putting up sheet rock for the interior walls of the house, including the boiler room and closets.
If you would like more about how Zebra gives back throughout the year, or if you would like to support any of our ongoing community service efforts, please visit our Philanthropy and Volunteerism page to learn more. You may also want to check out these related blog posts.
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Related Reads:
- These NFL Legends are Racing to Help Others Beat Cancer
- COVID-19 is Hitting India Hard, and Millions of People Need Our Help Right Now
- Holding the Line: How Zebra is Helping High School Students Maintain Access to STEM Education Programs During the Pandemic
- Celebrating the Season of Giving by Giving Where It’s Needed Most
Therese Van Ryne
Therese Van Ryne is Senior Director of External Communications for Zebra Technologies. She joined Zebra as part of the acquisition of Motorola Solutions Enterprise business in October 2014. She and her team are laser focused on growing the company’s brand awareness globally aligned with business objectives. Her accomplishments include leading Zebra events with Harvard University and TED as well as the creation of the annual Intelligent Enterprise Index, resulting in positive media coverage, customer engagement and revenue growth.
Prior to Motorola Solutions, Van Ryne worked at SC Johnson where she led corporate communication strategies and drove PR and branding efforts for leading consumer products. One of her top achievements was leading the Windex® placement in the film, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” resulting in a 25% sales increase for the brand.
One of PR News’ 2019 Top Women in PR and Crain's Chicago's 2021 Most Notable Executives in Marketing, Therese also has experience as a journalist, editor and producer, reporting nightly from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Van Ryne holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Marquette University and an Executive Leadership Master’s Certificate from Cornell University.
