Avangrid pays it forward during International Volunteer Week
During Avangrid’s International Volunteer Week (IVW), which took place from September 30 to October 8, employees from across the organization stepped up to give back to local non-profit organizations through various activities and projects. Below is a summary of some of those events and a few words from volunteers who participated in the events.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, seven volunteering events took place. Opportunities ranged from facility clean-ups, organizing closets, sorting, and packaging items, and helping maintain gardens.
Volunteers in New Haven got their hands dirty helping support Gather New Haven, a non-profit organization with five farms and more than 45 community gardens.
“It was a fulfilling experience since the farms rely heavily on volunteers to keep it up and running,” said Aditi Dalal, Data Security Analyst. “The organization is an integral part of the New Haven community and provides fresh, organic, and local produce to those who would otherwise have barriers accessing such food. Volunteers helped plant lettuce, harvested squash, and weeded around plants. It was a rewarding experience to be able to help the community that we live in and work in.”
Another New Haven event occurred at Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP). Volunteers spent the afternoon helping clean up and organize the facility ahead of renovation projects.
“The experience at LEAP was rewarding. We learned about the different programs LEAP offers to the community and how they impact many children within the city. I look forward to our next time volunteering there and being a part of this organization,” said Claudia Oliveira, Talent Acquisition Recruiter.
“Working with LEAP was a great experience. I learned about all that they do for our youth, and I was amazed. It is a great organization helping kids from ages 7 to 15. They help with swimming lessons and core learning skills and even assist older teens with life skills such as job opportunities, resume outlines, etc. Once the kids “age out” of the program, LEAP offers mentorship and tries to see every child transition into adulthood with success and support. I look forward to helping again,” said Crystal Brokelschen, Lead Analyst, Distribution Infrastructure.
Down the road in Bridgeport, volunteers spent time at the Cardinal Shehan Center, a non-profit that provides recreational, educational, and social needs to low-income families.
“It was fulfilling to help out,” said Joann Lopez, Senior Compensation Analyst. “We helped sort, arrange, and organize the facility’s gift closet. It feels good to know that our efforts will make it easier for the staff to keep track of their inventory and find what they need more quickly. It’s amazing what a little effort can do for an organization that greatly impacts Fairfield County.”
Another group of employees put on their hard hats, work boots, and safety goggles to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County.
‘’Volunteering is really the best way to create deep connections,” said Laura Baie, a member of the Avangrid Sustainability team. “In this activity, we had access a different routine, with the opportunity to help build a family dream: a house. We learned how to nail and how to build walls but also, we learned how to build bridges – with the community and between each other, as Avangrid group.”
“It was very rewarding to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity,” said Michael Anderson, Government and Community Relations Specialist. “Their meaningful work ensures folks in Bridgeport and surrounding towns have access to quality affordable housing, and I feel honored to have been a part of the process. It was also wonderful to connect with some of our own employees with whom I had not met before.”
New York
The New York division held seven volunteering events during IVW. Events ranged from cleaning shelters, delivering food, stocking shelves, and helping build homes for families in need.
Eight volunteers supported Habitat for Humanity of Otsego County. Volunteers came from Norwich, Oneonta, and Waterville offices to help support the construction of two new homes.
“It is a great feeling to get together with folks you don’t always work with,” said Arthur Klingler, Program Manager – Government & Community Relations. Habitat for Humanity is such a worthy cause that I’m proud to support. The resulting houses built will be for families that otherwise would not have the ability to own their homes and provides them with stability. Even though it was quite a warm day out during the build, we worked hard. It was fun to spend time together and get to know all the volunteers working on completing these two homes.”
Another Habitat for Humanity build was shaping up in the Rochester community. Thirteen volunteers signed up to participate in the event.
“We had a great, hardworking crew onsite for the build, said Mary Kay Masters, RG&E Gas Engineer. “We completed all the insulation installation for the entire house. It was a rewarding experience to give back to others in the Rochester community, and I’m glad to be part of such a great cause and a member of the Avangrid team.”
In Monroe County, members of the EH&S Team, Hydro Engineering, and Gas Engineering volunteered at Wild Wings, a nonprofit that cares for permanently injured and non-releasable animals.
“We moved and stacked several face chords of wood, mulched the winding pathway throughout the facility, replaced the rope barriers within the grounds and painted hardware on some new benches,” said Sue Flood, Lead Analyst for Environmental Health and Safety. Thank you Avangrid for the opportunity to assist this wonderful organization.
Also, in Rochester a group of employees spent the afternoon at St. Ann’s Community at Cherry Ridge, a senior living community that supports elders in Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Independent Living Memory Care, and Independent Living.
“Our volunteers helped with setting-up decorations for their Oktoberfest,” said Laurie Picardo, Program Manager with Government and Community Relations. “We also helped with getting elders to the event, helped with activities at the event, visited and spent time with the elders, and danced the polka for their residents. We also helped the residents get back to their rooms and helped with clean-up.”
Other New York employees laced up their walking shoes to participate in the Mechanicville Stillwater Breast Cancer Walk to help raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society, NYOH Community Care Cancer Foundation, and the Mollie Wilmot Radiation Oncology Center.
“We had 14 NYSEG and RG&E employees join the walk,” said Melany Putman, Government & Community Relations Program Manager. “The event was very inspiring, and there was wide support from the community for breast cancer research and services for patients. I participated in the walk to support my dear friends who are survivors of breast cancer and others in my community still battling the disease.”
Maine
In Maine, two volunteering events were held during IVW. One was a Habitat for Humanity event in Portland, and the other was a clean-up event at the Greyhound Placement Service.
“Maine Greyhound Placement Service is a wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to finding loving, responsible homes for retired racing Greyhounds that can no longer compete on the racetrack,” said Bengt Anderson, with Maine Natural Gas. “There was a lot of work to do, and the staff is stretched thin, so they definitely appreciate all of the volunteers. We had several volunteers from MNG and CMP who completed activities inside and outside the facility. It was a beautiful fall day, so I jumped at the opportunity to spend it outside landscaping and by the end of it we made the place look much more inviting, which felt good. We also got the opportunity to play with the dogs at the end as a bonus.”
Oregon
Oregon held five volunteer opportunities, from helping with book repairs, organizing dress-up closets for ill children in the hospital, to supporting vendors at the Forest Grove Farmers Market, sorting and packing food donations, and building a child’s playhouse.
“We built a wonderful little garden-themed tiny house for a family going through a tough time with Habitat for Humanity of Portland,” said Alex Rennemann, Manager of Business Analysis. “Our group worked on decorative painting and assembling shutters. We also teamed up with a graphic designer from Wells Fargo and some local community members to complete the project. We had an awesome turnout from Avangrid! We stayed until the house was disassembled and packed into the back of the family member’s truck.”
Another group of volunteers used IVW as a team building exercise event. They donated their afternoon to Mid-Columbia Community Action Council, a non-profit whose mission is to build programs that prevent and eliminate poverty and homelessness.
“We had a great turnout, with 16 team members attending,” said Dustin Ervin, Solar Senior Manager. “It was a great success. We accomplished more than was anticipated and they kept finding more works for us to complete. It was fun to watch people from different work areas come together and work so efficiently as team. We had employees from Star/Hay, Klondike II and Golden Hills windfarms participate along with employees that work the Lund Hill, Pachwaywit Fields, Wy East and Bakeoven solar assets. Tom Pochardt the Area 1 Regional Director was also there to help.”
Other Habitat for Humanity builds were in Texas and South Dakota, which Avangrid team members also participated in during IVW.
