Sometimes you get to spend time with a group of folks that brighten up your day. We partnered up with STEMCELL Technologies to help organize a volunteer event for some members of their HR department. We all had a great time together, and most importantly, had a lot of positive impact while doing it.
The Need
Quest Food Exchange runs a unique program— they fill the need between a traditional food bank and the grocery store. Some folks may have a steady income, but it just covers rent with only a little left over, so putting food on the table can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. Quest steps in by providing deeply discounted, high-quality food that customers can feel good about buying, without breaking the bank.
But that food doesn’t just show up on their store shelves. Quest relies on both their own staff and the kindness of volunteers to help repackage all of the food that companies in bulk. And they get A LOT of food 🥦
The Impact
The team got to work by repacking a large supply of cookies that were generously donated by a local restaurant. The cookies were slightly different in size, making them unsuitable for the restaurant, but otherwise, these cookies were fresh and ready to eat! One of the great things about Quest is that food like this, rather than ending up in a landfill, can go to those who don’t have the means to buy it in a typical grocery store.
Once the STEMCELL team got to work, they quickly systematized the process and made their way through box after box of cookies. Impressively, the team took 1,650 cookies and repacked them into 250 bags 🍪 This was the largest group Quest had ever had at their facility to volunteer, and I know they’ll be eager to have more after this successful event!
The Company
STEMCELL Technologies is a Canadian biotechnology company that helps power leading-edge life science research around the world. We were lucky enough to work with 17 of their HR staff to pilot a small volunteer opportunity, with the goal to bring employee volunteering to the rest of their company, both through software and hosted Purpose Days.
