Volunteering takes many forms. The thousands of long-term Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) volunteers who regularly visit lonely elderly people or children in orphanages in the Czech Republic were joined by a growing group of people who experienced corporate volunteering. In the past year, 475 corporate volunteers took part in 60 events throughout the country.

Some corporate teams welcome the opportunity to beautify the gardens and surroundings of homes for the elderly, spruce up a meadow for hippotherapy, help with a move at an orphanage, or open an ADRA store, all with manual assistance. Others enjoy spending time together with children or seniors, walking around the neighborhood, chatting, playing board games, going to the movies together, or singing and roasting goodies around a campfire.

Building Meaningful Connections

“Smiles, swaying to the rhythm, but also tears of emotion, and finally singing and applause together were the perfect end to our volunteer day, which we had the opportunity to spend with the dm-drogerie markt [corporate] team in the pleasant environment of the Máj Home for the Elderly in České Budějovice,” a volunteer team leader shared. “We planted new flower beds for lavender and currants, weeded the front gardens for relaxing, brought homemade cake, gingerbread, and savory pastries.”

The volunteer team leader shared that in the afternoon they met the lovely residents of the home and the wonderful staff and sang together to the accompaniment of the harmonica. “This memorable experience was very enriching and inspiring for us. We all agreed that getting involved in volunteer activities was meaningful, and we would be happy to participate again.”

Enriching Lives, Cultivating Compassion

Overall, corporate volunteering contributes to team cohesion, loyalty to the employer, and a healthy reinforcement of the company culture. After volunteering, not only those for whom the event was intended — seniors or children — but also employees of the homes and facilities expressed their satisfaction and joy.

“For the employees and especially the clients of our Centre, it is a welcome diversification of everyday life at the Centre,” Andrea Bartošová, worker at the Centre for the Visually Impaired Chrlice in Brno, said. “The opportunity to meet and talk to new people is as important and enriching for our clients as it is for each of us. Volunteering is very meaningful, and we firmly believe that it pleases not only our clients but also the volunteers themselves.”

The original version of this story was posted by ADRA Europe.