To say that 2020 has been a bad dream we’d all like to wake up from is probably an understatement. Most of us are exhausted from the global pandemic and changes from what we used to know as “normal.” All of us have felt the impact of this pandemic in one way or the other, and the story was no different for us at Jivox.
2020 may have started on a perturbing note, but we wanted to end it on a different one.
Most parts of the world have entered this season with another wave of lockdown and restrictions, casting a glum shadow over our holiday spirits. In any other year, we at Jivox would have been getting together in our offices across the globe to celebrate our wins and undertake different community initiatives. This time, however, we are hindered by social restrictions and escalating cases of the coronavirus almost everywhere.
In the midst of this letdown, we wondered if there could still be a way to turn things around and celebrate the season differently. Even if we could not be together, could we empower our employees to support a cause they are passionate about?
Enter the ‘Season of Giving’ contest.
We asked our employees to tell us what would they do right now to make the world a better place. Through a contest that we ran across our offices globally, we collected entries about charity organizations that our employees personally support and how a donation from Jivox on their behalf could make a difference.
The response we received was overwhelming. As we combed through one entry after the other, we got a flavor of all the bubbling passions that drove our employees to create an impact that went beyond their own individual careers.
From all the submissions we received, here are the three causes and their champions we chose to which Jivox will donate $1,000 each:
Manasa Srinath
Building a brighter future for underprivileged children with special needs
For the past couple of years, Manasa has been volunteering with Mythri Charitable Trust in Mysore, India, an organization that seeks to empower underprivileged children with intellectual disabilities through various upskilling initiatives that foster independence. This institution has created a legacy over the 39 years of its existence by churning out alumni who have gone on to participate in the Special Olympics or chart their own careers in the corporate world.
Prior to Covid-19, Manasa would spend a few hours over the weekends with the children at the trust either by engaging them with story-telling sessions or fun craft lessons. The school has a vision to improve their existing amenities for current students through an infrastructure upgrade. A donation of $1,000 by Jivox will also enable them to hire teachers who specialize in behavioral correction, all of which will in turn make the future of these children brighter.
Bligh Cassidy, Henry O’Brien, Steve Lopez, Taylor White, and Will Walsh
Lending a helping hand to wounded warriors
Associates from our team in New York voiced their passion for veterans and service members in the U.S. military by espousing the cause of the Wounded Warrior Project. Bligh, Henry, Steve, Taylor, and Will wanted to honor their family members who have served in the military by ensuring that those who fight to protect the freedom of their country are not forgotten especially in a challenging year like 2020.
The Wounded Warrior project offers an opportunity for veterans to recover physically and mentally, and enables them to reintegrate with civilian life through jobs, security and a home. Jivox’s donation of $1,000 on behalf of our team will help shine the light on veterans who often do not have a voice and help them get back on track.
Prasanna Chandramohan
Leaving a legacy for the future generation
Prasanna’s love for nature and his prior career in news reporting once lead him to stumble upon Chinnapanahalli Lake, a serene spot that has become his favorite haunt ever since he moved to Bangalore six years ago. Located in the midst of Bangalore’s IT hub, the lake has been developed by local residents who are passionate about redeeming the city’s dwindling green cover. Prasanna became closely involved with this project in its early years and went on to participate in a drive to sow saplings and seeds of various kinds, some of which have now become full-grown trees.
Covid-19 and the shock it brought to the local economy cut off most of the funds that were being collected to develop and maintain the ecosystem of this lake. We are delighted that a donation of $1,000 by Jivox will go toward the upkeep of the lake and its ecosystem, a move that behooves not just the local residents and future generations but also Prasanna at a very personal level. He recently celebrated the occasion of his son turning one and fondly remembered a sapling that he planted near the lake when he was born.
As 2020 is coming to a close, we at Jivox would like to broaden our outreach to communities around us. Together we are facing the repercussion of a global pandemic, and individually, we are facing personal challenges of varying degrees. By taking a moment to extend ourselves to serve our local communities, we not only show solidarity but also give ourselves the chance to recover and recalibrate for the year ahead.