Kronos Giveback Initiative

Nine years after a 20-foot wall of water devastated New Orleans, the city still has the 2^nd highest homelessness rate of all US cities. In early April 2014 the Presales Solution Center held a team meeting in New Orleans. As a Louisiana native, I knew we would be able to find plenty of opportunities to do something helpful as a group for this  (still) recovering city. So we decided to organize a Kronos Gives Back event with the New Orleans Women’s Shelter.

Since 2007, the New Orleans Women’s Shelter has provided assistance to more than 500 women and children. Most of these women have not completed high school or held steady employment.  Many of these women were children when Katrina turned their lives and families upside down. This shelter is focused on ending the cycle of poverty and homelessness for women and children by returning hope of living independently. 75% of the women who enter the program leave the shelter employed or enrolled in an educational program.

Chris Kearney, Kevin Arledge, Bill Bozeman,, and Dann O'Brien helping NOWS residents prepare resumes and apply for jobs.

Ten of us visited the shelter the morning of April 11, with a plan to fix computers in their common area, work with residents on computer skills and writing resumes, and provide workforce management consulting for the administrative staff.

On hand from Kronos were:

Toni Kellam	Kevin Arledge	Mike Hutchens
Chris Kearney	Bill Bozeman	Dann O’Brien
Andy Brokaw	Alex Kerin	Jim Tompkins
Jay Meyers

Part of our group went straight to work in assessing and correcting problems with the 3 barely functional computers they had in the main community room. In the matter of a couple of hours all the computers were fully functional and connected to the internet. One team member even ordered printer supplies from his personal Amazon account to be delivered to the shelter. At the same time, residents ranging in age from 18 to 60 began to enter the room.

They weren't sure what to expect, and neither were we. I watched a group of total strangers begin to engage with each other and together build resume’s, cover letters, search for and apply for jobs online. By the end of each of these individual sessions, it was clear that we had made a positive impact on their lives. I saw hope emerge in their faces as they talked about the possibilities of finding work and taking action to embrace opportunities that would certainly improve their lives and the lives of their children. We took turns entertaining babies and toddlers while their mothers worked with our consultants. While all of this was going on, two of us consulted with the Executive Director and staffing manager to assess and streamline some of their Workforce Management systems and processes. 

The work we did with New Orleans Women’s Shelter was meaningful to the residents and administrative staff, evidenced by the grateful handshakes and hugs we all received. The sense of fulfillment each of us carried away from this Kronos Gives Back event is immeasurable and will certainly drive more of this type of activity in the future.

The Executive Director of the Shelter, Dawn Bradley Fletcher shared her thanks with this note and a few weeks later, they issued a press release for what we had done for their shelter.

Here are a few quotes some of the Kronos participants shared with me after the event.

Hello again,

I am writing with a follow up on Rihanna Santiago, my little cousin. She was born with a rare brain malformation that has caused her to be legally blind, wheelchair bound and have global developmental delay.

As I mentioned before, her parents need help to make their home accessible for her. They have set up a fund and I want to say thank you to all who have donated!

For those who have already donated, you will soon be receiving an email with a free MP3 of a song I wrote called Believe. Click the following link to watch the video and hear the song:

Rihanna’s parents have just about reached their goal, but need just a little more help. So here is how you can help.

If you have already donated, please forward the link to the music video to all of your contacts. (And enjoy the free download of Believe once you get it – in about a week or less)

If you have not yet donated and want to consider a donation, please go to: http://www.gofundme.com/5w1utg (anyone who donates will get a free MP3 of the song)

Purchase the song directly on iTunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/believe-single/id884157632 (all profits will go directly to Rihanna)

Thanks in advance for your consideration of this request.

 Maria (Maggie) Leon

Once a month, volunteers gather to help prepare donated food packages for over 500 low-income senior citizens in the Lowell-Chelmsford area as part of the Brown Bag Lunch program. It's a collaboration between the Elder Services of Merrimack Valley and the Greater Boston Food Bank. Today, (May 27) a faithful crew of Kronites, (Deb O'Connell, Lillian Montero, and myself) helped out with the program. 

Volunteers unloaded palettes of food-filled boxes from the Food Bank's 18-wheeler truck, then unpacked over 150 boxes of pre-assembled bags of food staples such as cereal, rice, pasta, and canned goods. Volunteers then placed the brown bags in plastic bags with handles, and added more food items, such as yogurt and raisins.  Loaded bags were lined up and picked up by local agencies, which then will hand-deliver the bags to individual seniors. All told, volunteers prepared over 500 bags of food staples for local seniors in less than two hours! Way to go team! 

Valley Days, is an environmental living program set in an 1880 agricultural community. Designed by teachers, museum docents, and volunteer staff.  This program offers an experience unparalleled to any other in Northern California – of which students in grades 3-5 engage in a full day in the life of the student in the 1880’s.  There are three major goals of the program.

1. To develop an understanding of the lifestyle of the people who lived in San Joaquin County in the late 1800’s.
2. To develop an awareness of how nineteenth century life in San Joaquin county fit into a larger concept of the development of the West.
3. To develop a sense of stewardship toward our heritage and the sites and artifacts of the 1800’s. 

I had the pleasure of volunteering alongside the “professional volunteers” (some very strict senior citizens).  In order to run a station all volunteers must complete one eight hour training on their respective station of volunteer. 

My day of formal “giveback” was held on Thursday May 8, 2014.  I had the pleasure of running the “leather stamping” station!  It was loud, intense, and fun!  Ideally about 250+ students roll through the grounds of the historic buildings at Micke’s Grove Park in Lodi, California.  (no they didn’t give us volunteers any wine.)  As the children live, a-day-in-the life… they attend class; tend to heard, stamp leather, go to the metal workshop, pan for gold, work the print press, make rope, etc.  It is an awesome experience.  Volunteers are actively engaging and assisting in all functions at their station.  Mid day there is time to have a lunch of which should contain items only from the time of the late 1800’s.  I met many children, shared my knowledge of where leather comes from the history of pounding hide to create things such as shoes, and other pliable trade.  We laughed, smiled, and got to play dress up too! 

Cheers – enjoy the pix!

Monicque Vasquez | Training Specialist, Education Delivery 

Many Kronites spend hours of their personal time every week engaged in giving back to their communities. Sean Donnelly, Training Specialist in Educational Services recently shared the following story of a giveback project in which he is engaged that is very close to his heart.

“I grew up with an Alcoholic parent, and suffered effects of that in my adult life.  Last summer I joined Adult Children of Alcoholics, a support group aimed at helping those that have effects of trauma related to growing up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional home.  We are encouraged to do “service” in these group sessions.  Service could include, helping a group member in a time of need, or taking on a role in the sessions.  I attend these meetings for 2 hours each Sunday where I am a new comer liaison.  I help new people that are coming into the group navigate their way through the program, and find the help that they need.  I also have become a chair person for the sessions, and lead 10 meetings a year.  Right now, this is what I am devoting my personal time to, as it gives me the ability to help myself, as well as help others in need.  Though it may not be giving things, the emotional support that this community needs to get past their troubled history is more than any gift I could personally give.”

Thank you to Sean for sharing this inspiring story. No doubt, his efforts in this organization are greatly appreciated by the families he serves.

Recently Barbara Nastri worked a booth at a Health Fair at Coquina Crossing Retirement Village.  While there, she distributed brochures on the services provided by the Council on Aging in St. Augustine, FL.

About the Council on Aging: this body provides a wide range of services to senior citizens throughout St. Johns County, FL – including Meals on Wheels (which are made on premises), educational seminars, yard work and minor home repairs, friendship visits and many, many other services.

The experience opened Barbara’s eyes to how fulfilling it can be to volunteer her time. She says “I’ve always wanted to volunteer but didn’t realize how rewarding it would be.  This was an opportunity to educate local seniors about services that are available to them, in their community, at no cost. Besides the personal gratification of giving back to my community, it was a great opportunity to open the eyes of older citizens and educate them on services they need or will need in the future.  As older Americans, they now know that they’re not alone. When one person becomes aware of available services, they often spread the word to their friends and family members.  The impact can be far reaching in the St. Johns County community.”

Great job, Barbara!

Eileen Cushing-Craig | Instructional Designer | Kronos Incorporated