Paid Volunteer Time Off at NerdyMind

Posted on March 15, 2018 nerdymind

Since NerdyMind’s inception we’ve always strived to give back to our local community, whether that’s through volunteerism or helping out a local non profit with their marketing initiatives. One way NerdyMind makes that easy is by offering all employees paid volunteer time off (VTO). Every year each individual employee receives 24 hours of VTO to devote to their favorite 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Not only does this encourage employees to engage with the local community, but it allows NerdyMind to give back to a variety of organizations in a number of different ways. Here are a handful of recent VTO stories from NerdyMind team members.

Megan's Story

"This year I chose to spend my VTO supporting Children’s Hospital Colorado at their July 2017 Courage Classic Bike Tour event. If you’re an avid road biker, this is the event for you! Each year thousands of riders sign up and collect donations to bike the high altitude passes of Vail, Copper Mountain, and Keystone for two days. All of the money collected goes to support the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation and help families in need of costly, life-saving medical care. This year I volunteered to check-in riders as they arrived, and marshal the route to keep riders safe and headed in the right direction during the tour. It was incredibly heartwarming and humbling to see all of the community support and hear the stories of the kids that have been helped by the foundation. Next year I plan to ride in the tour and garner as many donations as possible for this important cause." - Megan Mohr, Digital Marketing Specialist

Emma's Story

"I was excited to donate my VTO to support a local nonprofit called 3Hopeful Hearts this year at their 5th Annual Music Benefit and Auction. 3Hopeful Hearts gives support and resources to Northern Colorado parents and families who have suffered the death of a child by any cause at any age. 3Hopeful Hearts is a tragically necessary organization that provides partnership and companionship through grief and healing. The music benefit is one of three events that make up the 3Hopeful Hearts' Month of Hope and Remembrance, a time to come together with the community and focus on the Hope aspect of the support this amazing organization offers. It features food, delicious beverages, a live and silent auction, and music! This year we were so excited to welcome Hazel Miller Band. I volunteered to help at the event, from setting up tables and chairs, to creating silent auction baskets from items graciously donated by the community. It was so satisfying and humbling to watch the event progress from the idea stage, to set-up and execution, and then finally to a success! I continue to volunteer weekly at 3Hopeful Hearts helping with their social media and marketing." - Emma Lang, Social Media Specialist

Mary's Story

"I have a thing for animal shelters. Especially animal shelters that are "adoption guaranteed." This simply means that they stay as far away from euthanasia as is humanly possible, and that's where the Animal House comes in. Their track record for animal placement is absolutely miraculous in my opinion, and the team there is a group of truly passionate individuals who want to help homeless dogs (and other animals) have a better life than what was handed to them. For my VTO, I decided to donate a "StratOp" to the Animal House Shelter. I am certified in the art of StratOp Facilitation; the StratOp process is a strategic system that helps your team clarify where you are, where you’re headed, and how to get there. It’s used by organizations big and small, from billion-dollar global corporations to non-profits. For two full days, we sat and ran through the various StratOp tools, working together to build a strong list of Action Initiative Profiles for the group to execute upon. The two days was full of excitement and positive energy, and I am so proud to have been a part of a big turning point for the Animal House. They are now moved into their new location, they have new staff members, and they are close to reaching their funding goals for the year! To have been a part of it was very rewarding; even though I was working with a bunch of humans in the room, I knew the work was going to benefit animals in need for years to come." - Mary Merritt, President and CEO 

The Nerds are always looking for ways to give back. If you have an idea or volunteer opportunity for the Nerds, please reach out today.