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2022 Employee VTO Initiatives Help CQ Give Back
Last year, employees at CQuence Health and Cassling used over 120 volunteer time off (VTO) hours to give back to their local communities by participating in events like youth mentoring, bell ringing for the Salvation Army, food drives and more.
Supporting Youth
One of the many ways CQuence and Cassling employees give back is by mentoring and connecting with youth in their churches and communities.
Jeremy Long, Field Service Engineer for Cassling, used his VTO hours to spend time with his church’s youth group, accompanying them to a national youth conference in Kansas City.
“This year we got to go visit a local non-profit in KC that connects churches around the world with local orphanages and child protection services so that individual needs can be met,” said Jeremy.
By connecting with youth at his church using his VTO hours, Jeremy has built relationships and actively contributed to the church’s mission to positively impact lives and communities through their ministry.
Aline Quick, Service Coordinator for Cassling, also dedicated her volunteer time off to mentor youth. “I spent my VTO hours mentoring a sophomore at Ralston High School. I have been involved in Teammates for close to 6 years, both as a mentor and as a board member for the Gretna, Nebraska, Teammates chapter. I meet with my mentee once a week, entering into her life as another present adult who can show we care about her and her life.”
CQ Cares
Aline, like many of our employees, is involved with the CQ Cares Committee, which spearheads many of the VTO-eligible events CQuence employees participate in every year.
CQuence Employees participate in The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign during the holidays in Omaha.
In 2007, CQuence launched the CQ Cares committee to help plan and manage our team’s numerous philanthropic, volunteer and community involvement efforts. The committee meets once a month to discuss upcoming events and communicate new ideas on how employees can contribute to nonprofit organizations.
“I used my VTO to ring bells for the Salvation Army. We played Christmas music while greeting peoplecoming in and out of the store. It was a very rewarding experience and helped me get in the spirit of the holidays last year!” exclaimed Nicole Koch, Service Coordinator for Cassling.
Along with the Salvation Army’s annual Bell Ringing for the Red Kettle Campaign, many CQuence and Cassling employees took part in a number of activities in 2022, thanks in large part to the CQ Cares Committee’s careful planning and collaboration with local nonprofit organizations. Some of the additional efforts our team took part in include:
- Adopt-A-Family: Employees donated funds and purchased and wrapped gifts to give to area seniors to brighten their day during the Christmas season
- The Angel Tree: Teams donated money and purchased items that were used to help children experience the joy of Christmas morning.
- The Tree of Lights Campaign: Teammates donated throughout the month of December to the Salvation Army’s annual Omaha campaign.
- Keep Omaha Beautiful Cleanup: Members of CQ Cares came together to pick up trash littered throughout the Omaha community.
- Food Bank for the Heartland: Employees sorted and packaged food donated to the nonprofit organization to prepare it for distribution to families and shelters around Omaha.
- Ronald McDonald House: A group of employees purchased supplies and prepared a healthy dinner for families housed here.
Jennifer White, Reporting Analyst for Cassling, expressed her gratitude for the CQ Cares Committee, saying, “I appreciate that our CQ Cares Committee finds ways for us to give back, which makes it really easy to find something that speaks to you and is easy to participate in. I love that we not only get to help people who really need it but also create tighter bonds with our teammates.”
Members of CQ Cares came together to pick up trash littered throughout the Omaha community.
We Can All Give Back
Imagine if each one of us dedicated a few hours every year to volunteering in our community? If philanthropy, helping others and helping your community interest you, you might enjoy volunteering, too. Several organizations we mentioned around Omaha are always looking for volunteers, such as The Salvation Army, Foodbank for the Heartland and Ronald McDonald House. Or research ways to volunteer within your community to find an opportunity that fulfills your passion.