GETTING PAID TO VOLUNTEER
"In our busy lives, full of work, family obligations, and yes, a little bit of relaxation too (hopefully!), it can be a real challenge to find the time to get out into our communities and give back. That's probably why one of our most popular benefits is our volunteerism program. Tom's employees are able to use 5% of their paid work time volunteering for the nonprofit organization of their choice." - Laurie Bridges, Professional Resources Team Leader.
You’re probably pretty busy, right? Maybe you’re in school and trying to stay on top of homework, or you’re working, or juggling family and career obligations. Whatever your situation, chances are you really want to volunteer in your community but you may not always have the time to do as much as you’d like.
That’s why we developed our 5% volunteer benefit. Our employees have done plenty of volunteering: we have employees who work at historical societies, build homes for Habitat for Humanity, maintain trails and facilities at state parks, and help an elderly neighbor to shovel snow. We also volunteer as a company every year. Most recently, we worked to clean a local river and clear brush in a community recreation area.
Here are just two of the many stories our employees can tell about their volunteer experiences.
Patti Murphy, Consumer Dialogue Team Leader
Volunteers at: Kennebunk Animal Welfare Society, Kennebunk, Maine
"I do a lot of work for the Animal Welfare Society. This includes socializing animals, counseling prospective adopters, answering questions, facilitating adoptions, and answering phones. On average I’m at the shelter three times a week for a total of 10 hours. The Tom's benefit makes a huge difference, because I can be at the shelter during the work week, which is when the shelter has less volunteers available to assist them.
This is one of the many benefits setting Tom’s apart from other employers. It respects the employees by acknowledging that we each have causes about which we are passionate, and makes me value Tom’s as an employer/partner because I feel happier and more fulfilled. Because of the volunteer benefit, I can make a difference in the lives of the many homeless animals in York County and help the humans who care for them on a daily basis—something that I hold dear. Tom's not only talks the talk but walks the walk where community service is concerned."
Kerry Maguire, Director of Professional Advocacy
Volunteers at: Options for Children in Zambia
"I give back as part of a foundation called Options for Children in Zambia. We visit on a biannual basis to provide preventive, restorative, and surgical oral care to children and families in rural Zambia and in the capital of Lusaka. Each year, we treat over 300 patients, and we can document an improvement in overall oral health in the communities we visit annually.
Although my colleagues at Tom’s of Maine are involved in their own volunteer efforts, they support Options for Children in Zambia by donating toothbrushes, collecting children’s clothing and even buying a cow to contribute to the nourishment and support of children in the village of Mochila. They also do what needs to be done while I am away, a huge contribution in itself. Giving back—whatever the cause—somehow generates its own horsepower for positive change."
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