VTO Archives - ATR International https://www.atrinternational.com/category/vto/ Celebrating over 32 years as a staffing and consulting leader Fri, 15 Jan 2021 22:03:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 ATR Participates in Career Discussion at Oakland’s RISE Academy https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/07/02/rise-academy-career-discussion/ Tue, 02 Jul 2019 16:19:00 +0000 https://www.atrinternational.com/?p=5535 I recently had a great time at RISE Academy in Oakland, CA where I participated in a career discussion with their students. RISE opened its doors to 7th and 8th graders over 10 years ago and is particularly focused on STEM subjects and preparing its students for the technology and scientific jobs of the future. […]

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I recently had a great time at RISE Academy in Oakland, CA where I participated in a career discussion with their students. RISE opened its doors to 7th and 8th graders over 10 years ago and is particularly focused on STEM subjects and preparing its students for the technology and scientific jobs of the future. A subject near and dear to my heart!

Speaking with the students was so much fun! The afternoon included several other companies too and the purpose was to give the students a chance to ask questions and learn about what it’s like to work in different industries and professions. For our part, we were able to discuss with the students some of the ways that the STEM subjects they are studying are applicable in the real world of work.

And ask they did!

They were bright and smart, and their questions were thoughtful. They wanted to know about what ATR did, whether we liked our jobs, what we thought we’d be doing when we were their age, what types of jobs we find people for, and more. I was so impressed with how seriously they had been contemplating their career paths. Whether they hoped to be a scientist, an astronaut, work with computers, or for the FBI (and all of those were represented!), they did not simply give a quick answer. They had clearly thought about what they wanted to do.

While many of the questions were technology and career focused, others were more general, and a few even a bit unexpected and fun. My answer to what superhero I would be led to a conversation about superheroes and superpowers. My choice of Wonder Woman was politely but firmly challenged because she doesn’t have superpowers exactly, just a lot of cool gadgets. I had to go to my second choice, Rogue from X-Men, to meet the criteria! It was a lively discussion and so indicative of the serious thought and consideration they give to everything – from superpowers to their career aspirations.

I was impressed with how much thought these young people have already given to their careers. They understand the importance of education in achieving their goals and the hard work that it takes to get there. Their joy and curiosity were contagious from the start. They clearly love the school and their teachers and are enthusiastic about learning. They’re kids, so I’m sure it’s sometimes a struggle to get them to do their homework; it was for me too when I was their age. But mostly I was so taken with how interested they were in learning and how they were already planning their futures.

The other question that I really enjoyed was when they asked me what I would tell my younger self if I could go back in time. Not surprisingly, my first and emphatic piece of advice would be – do your homework! But I also explained that I would tell 13-year-old me to stay curious. To always ask questions, want to understand more, and know how and why as much as possible. I would tell me don’t lose your love of learning or think that learning only happens inside school or stops when you graduate high school or college. Learning is lifelong.

Thinking this way will help you in your career. Staying curious will help you graduate and get that first job. A lifelong commitment to learning will help you succeed and advance throughout your career, whatever job you have or industry you work in. I told them this is what I try to do every day, so I would definitely want to remind my younger self that it’s important to keep your mind open and be aware of opportunities to learn, wherever they may be.

I know about RISE Academy from volunteering there before with the Thompson Family Foundation (read more here). I love what they are doing there. I couldn’t’ agree more that preparing our young people for the careers of the future is critical. The numbers are almost staggering in terms of the projected supply and demand for people in the STEM industries.

It is especially great to have schools like this here in Silicon Valley, where developing the technology workforce of the future is so critical. RISE is serving two important parts of our community; bringing STEM education and strong support to underserved students AND developing the workforce of the future for our business community. I want to thank them for inviting me to visit them. I hope I inspired them as much as they inspired me!

Check out their website for more info and to support them in your own way.

If you’re interested in connecting with ATR for staffing and consulting services, reach out to us here.

Related Articles:

Giving Back to the Community – it’s as important as making money!

Cybersecurity Professionals Needed: Here’s How to Become One

VTO Spotlight: Patricia Schnieber and Andrea Brenholz Work with The Thompson Family Foundation to Help Local Schools

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VTO Spotlight: ATR’s Laura Curtin Visits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/02/26/vto-spotlight-laura-visits-st-jude/ Tue, 26 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2019/02/26/vto-spotlight-laura-visits-st-jude/ Childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases are an unfortunate reality that innocent children in our world face every day. The incredible work being done by the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has played a crucial part in helping to alleviate our society of many nationwide and global health issues. Because of the amazing efforts that […]

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Childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases are an unfortunate reality that innocent children in our world face every day. The incredible work being done by the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has played a crucial part in helping to alleviate our society of many nationwide and global health issues. Because of the amazing efforts that St. Jude has made, it is always an honor when one of our employees is invited to take a tour of the facilities. On this occasion, Laura Curtin was very grateful to be invited to spend the day touring the hospital and interacting with the patients.

“It is always a wonderful and magical experience to visit St. Jude and see firsthand the progress they have been making against these childhood health issues.”

For Laura, St. Jude is a special and meaningful place that is close to her heart. The satisfaction of being invited back to tour and continuously view the progress that the hospital makes on childhood health issues is always inspiring to her. With so many families struggling to pay their medical bills, St. Jude is doing a huge service by accepting all medically eligible patients in for treatment regardless of whether they can pay for it or not.

StJudeLauraSara1At St. Jude, families never have to pay for treatments that aren’t covered by insurance plans, and families without insurance never have to worry about paying. The hospital also helps patients out by providing families with transportation to the hospital, housing and meals. “It is obvious to see why so many people adore St. Jude.” Laura said, “The philanthropy they do is making a large impact on a national and global level.”

The community residing around the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is truly a special one too. When Laura was visiting, her tour guide was actually someone who had been a patient at the hospital in the past. “The sense of community here is always so refreshing. Many former patients are now working with and supporting the hospital. It is inspiring knowing that an organization can make such a big impact in someone’s life like that.”

With the efforts that have been made at St. Jude, ATR is proud to be a major sponsor of the Children’s Research Hospital. Recently, they even announced that they would be partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO) in an effort  to “advance pediatric cancer survival rates worldwide.” It is initiatives and partnerships like these that make us feel especially good about our support for this great organization. And we are always glad when our employees get to experience, volunteer and tour such a special place like the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Are you a job seeker looking to land your next role? Consider working with our dedicated team of recruiters and send us your resume!

 

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Behind the Scenes at ATR with Laura Curtin

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Giving Back to the Community – it’s as important as making money! https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/02/07/giving-back-to-the-community/ Thu, 07 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2019/02/07/giving-back-to-the-community/ Volunteering is as important to me as making money. A provocative statement? Maybe, but it’s true. I think volunteering as a Girl Scout is when I first became passionate about it. I remember helping with an ocean cleanup, going to the local senior center to spend time with the residents, and sorting cans and food […]

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Volunteering is as important to me as making money. A provocative statement?

Maybe, but it’s true. I think volunteering as a Girl Scout is when I first became passionate about it. I remember helping with an ocean cleanup, going to the local senior center to spend time with the residents, and sorting cans and food at a local food bank, something I’ve done numerous times since then!

I certainly don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way, though. In fact, I know I’m not. I’ve been volunteering with others all along. Whether in Girl Scouts, or later in high school and college, or now, I’ve been surrounded by others doing the same thing. My parents, who co-founded ATR, are committed philanthropists, personally supporting humanitarian and cultural organizations in the Bay Area and beyond. They always encouraged me to volunteer, often taking me along with them. My dad and I, both passionate golfers, have played at many charitable tournaments. ATR, the company they founded, has always had a strong commitment to corporate philanthropy, and has supported national and regional organizations as varied as Toys for Tots, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Bennett Clayton Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Second Harvest Food Bank, to name just a few.

And when I say ATR, let me be clear, I mean everyone at ATR – it’s all of us working together. Sometimes giving back is writing a check, for sure, but that’s just a part of it, it takes much more than just that. It takes people volunteering too. Volunteering at events, holding bake sales and raffles in the office, walking to raise money, and much more – and ATR’s people have done it! That’s another reason why I know I’m not the only one who is passionate about volunteering – I’m so often volunteering as part of an ATR team.

Even better proof? Seeing people use ATR’s Volunteer Time Off program to go where they feel they can make the most impact. To date, they’ve donated over 300 hours and supported more than 25 different organizations! The VTO program exponentially increases the impact that we can have. I’m so grateful for their individual efforts to help make our local communities better and stronger. My teammate Patricia Schnieber and I recently used VTO to help at a holiday event put on by Klay Thompson’s Family Foundation.

So, I’m not alone in feeling strongly that volunteering is important. We all feel it’s important to give back to the community individually and as a business. And anyone who volunteers knows how rewarding it is; you absolutely get more than you give. Is it as important as making money? Yes. Not more so but just as.

Now, as CEO/President of ATR, it’s my responsibility to continue that volunteer commitment. To continue to support these organizations as a company, to continue the VTO program, and to continue my own personal commitment. Of course, I have lots of responsibilities. ATR needs to continue serving our clients and our consultants with the same care and commitment that has been our hallmark for 30 years. I need to make sure ATR remains a strong company that makes a profit while providing a valuable service at a fair price.

Our ability to volunteer and support is much harder without the time and money to do it. The simple fact is that money helps our corporate philanthropy and the VTO. Without a salary, personal giving suffers too. I’m grateful that my parents (and the Girl Scouts!) instilled a love of volunteering in me at a young age. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to keep that commitment as an adult. I’m especially mindful of the responsibilities taking over my family’s business places on me, and thankful to have that opportunity. And I want everyone to know that I am dedicated not only to ATR’s overall success but to continuing our strong commitment to our communities and the people and organizations that depend on all of us.

Making money or volunteering? It’s not a choice – they are equally important! I promise my goal will always be to do both!

If you’re interested in connecting with ATR for staffing and consulting services, or want to share a story about your commitment to philanthropy, reach out to us here.

 

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Philanthropy Is Good For Humanity And For Business

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VTO Spotlight: Patricia Schnieber and Andrea Brenholz Work with The Thompson Family Foundation to Help Local Schools https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/02/05/vto-spotlight-thompson-family-foundation/ Tue, 05 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2019/02/05/vto-spotlight-thompson-family-foundation/ What if you showed up every day for school, willing to work hard and learn, but when you got there you had nothing to work with? Imagine first grade without pencils or paper. Imagine not enough textbooks in math class. Not enough microscopes in science. Sadly, that’s the situation for many schools around the nation. […]

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VTO - Thompson Family FoundationWhat if you showed up every day for school, willing to work hard and learn, but when you got there you had nothing to work with? Imagine first grade without pencils or paper. Imagine not enough textbooks in math class. Not enough microscopes in science. Sadly, that’s the situation for many schools around the nation. Children show up every day eager to learn and ready to work hard but often don’t have the tools to do so.

Which is one reason why ATR’s Patricia Schnieber and Andrea Brenholz were especially excited to volunteer at the Thompson Family Foundation (TFF) Christmas Event benefitting the New Highland Academy and Rise Community schools in Oakland. They joined Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson, his mother Julie and members of his family, and other volunteers and people from the Warriors organization to bring toys, food, and much needed school supplies to students in need.

TFFIt was a fantastic day filled with joyous, rambunctious kids excited to receive presents and meet Klay! There were two assemblies to accommodate the 600 children who attend the schools. Andrea and Patricia helped organize the toys and work with each child as they chose one. Andrea commented “The holidays remind us that bringing happiness to a child is a special feeling; one that stays with you forever. I’ll never forget the smiles on their faces as they chose a present! I almost feel selfish – isn’t volunteering supposed to be hard?”

“It was equally gratifying to see how happy the teachers were when we delivered supplies to each classroom.” said Patricia. “Many of them spend their own money when they need things. They were almost as excited as the kids!” TFF also arranged for the Alameda County food bank to be there for families to stock up. It’s critical to support children in multiple ways, ensuring that they arrive to school prepared to learn and that the school is prepared to teach.

TFF1Both women said they were grateful to TFF for organizing such a wonderful and much needed event. They explained “The toys are as valuable as the pencils and all children should have both. Thanks for letting us help make that true for them!” ATR volunteers have worked with TFF and their awesome staff before and look forward to supporting their efforts again. Andrea explained, “I love that one of their main goals is about the importance of education. I look for opportunities to support efforts in that area whenever possible.”

A final thought from Andrea and Patricia: Get the same wonderful feeling they did! There are probably schools and children near you that need the same kind of help. Make sure they have the supplies to go along with the desire to learn! Or volunteer or donate to any worthy organization in your community.

You’ll be the one that ends up feeling good!

ATR’s Volunteer-Time-Off (VTO) program allows each internal employee 40 hours or 5 days off to volunteer at a charitable organization of their choice each year. To read more about our program click here!

 

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VTO Spotlight – Debbie, Van, Emily and Juan volunteer at Martha’s Kitchen

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VTO Spotlight – Sara Delaney Spends Time With The Behailu Academy

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VTO Spotlight: Debbie, Van, Emily and Juan volunteer at Martha’s Kitchen https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/01/28/vto-spotlight-marthas-kitchen/ Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2019/01/28/vto-spotlight-marthas-kitchen/ Over the holidays, many of our employees chose to volunteer their time to help make our local community a better place. For Debbie McCoy, Juan Rosales, Van Nguyen and Emily Hillman; They chose to spend their VTO helping out at a local Santa Clara County soup kitchen that goes by the name of Martha’s Kitchen. […]

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VTO Spotlight_ Martha’s KitchenOver the holidays, many of our employees chose to volunteer their time to help make our local community a better place. For Debbie McCoy, Juan Rosales, Van Nguyen and Emily Hillman; They chose to spend their VTO helping out at a local Santa Clara County soup kitchen that goes by the name of Martha’s Kitchen. Martha’s Kitchen, having adopted the motto of “Feeding the hungry with dignity with no questions asked,” is an organization that was founded in 1981 by Louise Benson in an effort to alleviate hunger problems in Northern California communities. 37 years later, Martha’s Kitchen has served over 4,500,000 million meals to people with an annual production of 450,000 meals per year. Over the years, Martha’s Kitchen has experienced enormous success at working to feed the hungry through collaboration with over 50 different nonprofits in the local area for food distribution and preparation.

Preparing Food and Distribution

IMG_1820-1Needless to say, Debbie, Juan, Van and Emily all had an amazing experience volunteering at this great organization. The day consisted of preparing food for packaging into boxes for distribution around the city of San Jose and surrounding areas. Along with the other volunteers, they worked on chopping up fruits, vegetables, meats and other goods so that they may be prepared and placed into these meal boxes. After working in the Central Kitchen where food is prepared, volunteers would then bring the food out into trucks for distribution to partner organizations, and out to hungry individuals who showed up for a meal. The food that was loaded into trucks is mostly distributed around the counties of Santa Clara, Merced, Santa Cruz and Monterrey. Some of the other non-profit partners involved in the program included the Home First Alum Rock, United Methodist Church, Elijah’s Men’s Home, Goodwill, Sacred Heart Nativity school, the Salvation Army, Santa Maria Urban Ministry and St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

In the Spirit of Giving

IMG_1818Giving back to the community is something we at ATR care deeply about, and through these efforts it is our sincere hope that we can make a charitable impact year after year. For Debbie, Van, Emily and Juan, the work they did at Martha’s Kitchen was an experience to be cherished for a long time. After volunteering, Juan felt that helping out those in need meant more to him. “It was awesome to see how volunteers at Martha’s Kitchen would come together every week to help keep people in the community fed.” Van was personally touched by the organizations work in feeding the hungry. “It was great to help out others by serving a warm meal during the holiday season. It is one of the greatest things anyone could do.”

For Emily, it was meaningful to her being able to help out the local community. “Martha’s Kitchen feeds hundreds of people per week through food and soup kitchen preparation and packaging of premade meals into boxes. It was amazing to be a part of an experience where we got to help feed local kids and adults in need.” And of course, Debbie was glad she was informed about Martha’s Kitchen and to have played a part in the effort too! “I chose to volunteer at Martha’s Kitchen after I was told about it by another employee who volunteered there in the past. It was great to be able to help feed the hungry in the local San Jose community.” All four of our wonderful employees had an overwhelmingly fulfilling experience lending a hand to those in need over this past holiday season.

IMG_1819We encourage all of our employees to use their VTO to lend a helping hand to their local communities. If you would like to donate to Martha’s Kitchen and their efforts to feed the hungry, you can do so here.

 

Related Articles

VTO Spotlight – Whitney Nusser helps out the North Texas Food Bank

VTO Spotlight – Saroj Ghosh Helps Out the Muscular Dystrophy Association

VTO Spotlight – Sara Delaney Spends Time With The Behailu Academy

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VTO Spotlight: Nick Angelo and Lauren Sherer help out at the San Diego Food Bank https://www.atrinternational.com/2019/01/15/vto-nick-angelo-lauren-sherer-sdfb/ Tue, 15 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2019/01/15/vto-nick-angelo-lauren-sherer-sdfb/ This year we chose to volunteer our time with the San Diego Food Bank (SDFB), an organization that is on a mission to bring hunger relief to our local community. We originally came across the organization through a quick search online for local volunteer programs. The organization is a member of the Feeding America Network […]

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VTO spotlight_ San Diego Food BankThis year we chose to volunteer our time with the San Diego Food Bank (SDFB), an organization that is on a mission to bring hunger relief to our local community. We originally came across the organization through a quick search online for local volunteer programs.

The organization is a member of the Feeding America Network of Food Banks, which is a nationwide effort to alleviate hunger in American communities. Feeding America has served food to almost 50 million people around the nation, with 4 billion meals and 1.25 million pounds of produce provided each year. When you give one dollar to Feeding America, it helps provide at least 10 meals to people in need.

IMG_7220The SDFB is the San Diego chapter of Feeding America, and has worked tirelessly over the span of its existence to alleviate hunger problems in San Diego. On average, the organization serves 28 million pounds of food to 370,000 people each month. Food donors, such as people who put on food drives, farmers, and the USDA, donate their food to the San Diego Food Bank. From there, volunteers package the food up and it gets distributed to the elderly directly through the Food Bank and other non-profit partners. This distribution program is known as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Through the program, these boxes filled with canned food and other goods are delivered to low-income elderly people.

When we got to the warehouse, there was so much activity going on! There were already other people hard at work preparing boxes and filling them with food. Over the span of 3 hours, we helped put together over 1,000 boxes of canned goods. It was hard work but very rewarding! Just knowing that every box we prepared was going to be delivered to an elderly person in need filled our hearts with joy.

BoxesIt is so important to both of us that our society’s elderly are fed and get to have the Holiday season that they deserve. With our local society facing this huge hunger problem, just having the ability to lend a hand feels like we’re making a big difference. Far too many people are unable to afford healthy meals, which is why we both chose to volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank. It was an amazing experience that we will cherish for a very long time!

Interested in working at ATR International as a Recruiter? Send us your resume today.

 

Related Articles

VTO Spotlight – Whitney Nusser helps out the North Texas Food Bank

VTO Spotlight – Sara Delaney Spends Time With The Behailu Academy

VTO Spotlight – Fran Garfinkel Volunteers With Women Helping Women

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VTO Spotlight – Whitney Nusser helps out the North Texas Food Bank https://www.atrinternational.com/2018/11/28/vto-spotlight-north-texas-food-bank/ Wed, 28 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2018/11/28/vto-spotlight-north-texas-food-bank/ My time volunteering with the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) was an amazing experience that I will always hold close to my heart. I was browsing for different organizations online to volunteer with and came across the NTFB. I was very impressed with the impact they had been making on the community and their goals […]

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VTO Spotlight - Whitney Nusser helps out the North Texas Food BankMy time volunteering with the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) was an amazing experience that I will always hold close to my heart.

I was browsing for different organizations online to volunteer with and came across the NTFB. I was very impressed with the impact they had been making on the community and their goals for the future. A hunger relief organization affiliated with Feeding America, the NTFB provides 180,000 meals per day (that’s 72 million a year!) to those in need, from children to seniors. That’s amazing!

The NTFB has been doing amazing work across 13 counties in Texas and I could not be happier to say that I was a part of it this year.

IMG_0817On our first day of volunteering, we had the opportunity to work at the distribution center in the assembly line area. We filled up boxes for eventual distribution to senior citizens in the community. The food included a wide variety of canned, non-perishable goods and other items. During our second day of volunteering, we helped to stock up the local community food pantry. I organized the soup area, filled up the drink area, and worked to create individual sized bags of fresh tomatoes.

I met so many amazing people during this time! We all started with one thing in common – we wanted to help our community over the Holidays! It was very gratifying to see what a direct impact our efforts had. The people I worked with were very motivated to help the organization and the people it serves.

Every dollar that the NTFB raises provides access to three healthy and nutritious meals for hungry people in North Texas. But the need is great and unfortunately growing. That’s why NTFB embarked on a 10-year plan to significantly increase the number of people they can help. Their goal is to significantly close the hunger gap by providing 92 million meals per year by 2025.

WhitneyNusserVTO_1The Food Bank’s overwhelmingly positive efforts to close the hunger gap in our society is an inspiration to me and many others who deeply care about improving the lives of our neighbors in the community. Volunteering with the NTFB was such a fulfilling experience! I would recommend everyone take part in something similar around their local community! You’ll not only be doing something good, you’ll feel great doing it!

by Whitney Nusser

ATR deeply cares about and appreciates those who are working to alleviate poverty and hunger in our society. You can donate to the North Texas Food Bank here and help make an impact in your local community today.

 

ATR employee’s love to help out and volunteer over the Holiday season, check out some of our other employee’s volunteering efforts over these past years at the links below:

VTO Spotlight – Saroj Ghosh Helps Out the Muscular Dystrophy Association

VTO Spotlight – Sara Delaney Spends Time With The Behailu Academy

VTO Spotlight – Toys For Tots

VTO Spotlight – Kamila Sobczyk

VTO Spotlight – Carolyn Bramley

VTO Spotlight – Angelique Solorio

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ATR Visits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.atrinternational.com/2018/07/18/atr-visits-st-jude-childrens-research-hospital/ Wed, 18 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2018/07/18/atr-visits-st-jude-childrens-research-hospital/ We believe in giving back and supporting the organizations that help make them safe and strong.  ATR International supports our employees’ individual efforts and contributes at the corporate level too. We are privileged to help many wonderful local and national non-profits that provide critical services. Today we spotlight St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Founded by […]

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ATR and St Jude

We believe in giving back and supporting the organizations that help make them safe and strong.  ATR International supports our employees’ individual efforts and contributes at the corporate level too. We are privileged to help many wonderful local and national non-profits that provide critical services.

Today we spotlight St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Founded by actor and comedian Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude works to help fund research into treatments for childhood cancer and life-threatening diseases. They are kind enough each year to invite donors to Memphis to see first hand the incredible work they do and how it is saving lives daily. This year, Account Executives Sara Delaney and Dana Bohman from our Charlotte office visited St. Jude to tour the facilities see the progress being made in treating, curing, and preventing childhood illness.

ATR Visits St Jude

To put it simply, they were amazed.

Sara and Dana were moved by the love and thoughtfulness that St. Jude selflessly reflected in their work, whether they were researchers or clinicians, medical or administrative staff, all were focused on one goal: treating children of all ages and locations, and doing so with dignity and compassion.

For example, throughout the tour, they saw different murals along the walls that the children had worked on over the years. Dana learned about the many activities that the kids were able to participate in like Prom events for older children and Valentine’s Day mailboxes for the younger ones. The staff’s dedication to helping the children participate in normal activities, while undergoing treatment, was inspiring!

Sara noticed how everyone showed compassion and care for the patients, and incredible dedication and motivation for the work being done there. Everyone. One story that was particularly heartwarming and exemplified this was about a young patient who would only eat his grandmother’s mac and cheese recipe. Upon hearing this, the chef at St. Jude’s visited the grandmother’s house to learn how to make the dish for the young man!

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying that when you give, you actually receive more. Sara and Dana would agree. Seeing these passionate, dedicated people at work, and hearing stories about the children, brought the importance of ATR’s support into focus. St. Jude’s commitment to never turning a child away because of a family’s ability to pay reinforced how critical that support is, now and for a better future. Everyone at ATR is thankful that there’s a place like St. Jude and very proud to play a small role in its success.

Sara and Dana shared that the day was “an all-around amazing experience and one that we will cherish.”

Check out St. Jude’s website for more information on the amazing things they are accomplishing!

 

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Why We Offer Volunteering Time Off and How it Impacts Our Community https://www.atrinternational.com/2018/07/16/volunteering-time-off/ Mon, 16 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2018/07/16/volunteering-time-off/ When ATR began in 1988, it was with the desire to help people come together to produce something positive. While that happens every time we match a skilled job seeker with an incredible company, we also believe that businesses like ours have a corporate responsibility to help the world and contribute to society outside of […]

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How volunteering and corporate responsibility improve your business and communityWhen ATR began in 1988, it was with the desire to help people come together to produce something positive. While that happens every time we match a skilled job seeker with an incredible company, we also believe that businesses like ours have a corporate responsibility to help the world and contribute to society outside of the services we deliver. Knowing that philanthropy is the best way to achieve that, we instituted a Volunteering Time Off program long ago, and it’s something I’m personally very proud of.

Our VTO Program

Just as it sounds, our Volunteering Time Off program means granting employees time outside of traditional PTO or Sick Leave to volunteer at a nonprofit. What warms our hearts is knowing we aren’t alone; studies show 61% of companies offer some sort of VTO. At ATR, we offer each employee 40 hours of VTO time per year. Our employees have done a lot with this and made a big impact in society. Here is just a snapshot of how some have spent their time:

Why Does Volunteering Matter?

Our employees found the above experiences to be extremely rewarding because they knew that their actions mattered. Their volunteering efforts made a direct and tangible impact on their community. Donating time is the most valuable thing we can give another. After all, it’s easy to forget a faceless corporation that mails in a check, but it’s a lot harder to forget the person who serves someone the only meal they might eat that day, or the person sweating next to them nailing the frame of a house in the summer heat. Plus, 77% of Millennials prefer donating their time instead of money, and that means much of any company’s workforce, including ATR’s, feels the same way.

I cannot overemphasize how important the VTO program is to our company. We want our employees to be well-rounded individuals and understand that it’s difficult to set aside an entire weekend away from family to volunteer. Through VTO, our employees can continue to follow their passion for community service. So many ATR employees hold a charity close to their heart and maintaining that personal connection can and should be a priority.

Simply put, these acts of charity make the world a better place, and we want to give back to our community. At the same time, instituting a VTO program has a positive effect on business, and we encourage every organization out there to follow our lead. Putting employees out in the field communicating with real people and creating positive change with their own two hands provides priceless benefits. Customers or clients want to work with companies that care about those around them, and volunteering company time shows a strong dedication to improving the community. Seeing these values played out in practice is precisely how people grow loyal to a company.

On top of that, I’ve personally seen how our VTO program has improved employee engagement and culture. When our people do good, they feel good. Employees who volunteer have a positive outlook on life and bring that positivity into ATR offices. Their attitude and instinct for helping others is one that translates well to our fast-paced and high-stakes business environment that relies on multiple people selflessly working together, putting egos aside for the greater good. Volunteering builds those teamwork skills, proven by the 81% of professionals across America who find that volunteering strengthens relationships among colleagues.

Volunteering Time Off and You

No matter your walk of life, I strongly encourage you to volunteer more within your community. To our employees, I thank you for continuing to make ATR’s VTO program one of the most impactful in the industry. To fellow business leaders, please consider instituting a VTO program in your organization. Not only will you be doing something good for the world, but you’ll reap many benefits from it as well.

Want to talk more about VTO? Feel free to reach out to us to continue the conversation.

 

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VTO Spotlight – Saroj Ghosh Helps Out the Muscular Dystrophy Association https://www.atrinternational.com/2017/12/21/vto-spotlight-saroj-ghosh-helps-out-the-mda/ Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000 http://atr1.wpengine.com/2017/12/21/vto-spotlight-saroj-ghosh-helps-out-the-mda/   My time volunteering with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) was an amazing experience that I would encourage all people to take part in. You are probably familiar with their annual Labor Day telethon, and they also sponsor Bike-A-Thons, Muscle Walks, and other fundraising activities. Money raised goes to research but also funds things for […]

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Saroj VTO-1My time volunteering with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) was an amazing experience that I would encourage all people to take part in. You are probably familiar with their annual Labor Day telethon, and they also sponsor Bike-A-Thons, Muscle Walks, and other fundraising activities. Money raised goes to research but also funds things for children challenged by MD.

My daughter has been working with the organization for a long time; she first started working with the MDA in high school and loves working at the MDA Summer Camp. I’d been looking for an opportunity to give back to the community and she convinced me to get involved with the camp. It’s been a part of her life for the past 11 years, so I decided to sign up.“Live unlimited” is a motto of the MDA, which is exactly the opportunity the camp provides for the children attending. While at camp, the children have the chance to live unlimited and without boundaries, in an environment that cultivates and allows them to achieve their dreams. When they are at the Summer camp, the kids are not labeled disabled, seen as only being in a wheelchair, or defined by MD. They are treated as normal human beings and they participate in the kinds of activities that all children enjoy. My duties for the week included welcoming and checking in the children, helping with outdoor games and arts and crafts, and plenty of cleaning! One highlight for me was tie-dye day. The kids really enjoyed choosing the colors for their shirt and their enthusiasm was infectious!

It was so much fun being around these young children; they are so full of life and thrive even in the face of great challenges. The kids were always eager to tackle each day and live their life to the fullest, and were some of the strongest, kindest and smartest children I had ever met. My time at the MDA Summer camp was such a fulfilling experience. I loved that I was able to help provide one week of fun for the children and a much needed break for their families. It was a true gift and I am grateful for the opportunity to provide a helping hand to those in need.

I would encourage everybody to consider volunteering for a good cause like this at the MDA!

 

ATR has a Volunteer-Time-Off (VTO) program which allows each internal employee40 hours or 5 days off to volunteer an a charitable organization of their choice each year. “ATR’s VTO Program is in place so that our employees can give back in just this manner,” said CMO Andrea Brenholz. “The opportunity ATR provides is the easy part. It’s our employees that put in the work that makes a difference in our communities.”

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