Marc Hassan, a Distinguished Unqork Engineer and Volunqork’s President, tells us about the group’s contributions and what participation has meant to him
Volunqork is a Community Employee Resource Group (CERG) that connects employees with opportunities to give back to the community, whether that means local to our Unqork HQ office and the greater NYC area or virtually through various fundraisers.
Since its founding, Volunqork members have hosted soup kitchen visits in partnership with God’s Love We Deliver, participated in park cleanups local to our office, and supported children’s literacy in the City.
Most recently, the group hosted its second annual school supply drive together with Operation Backpack. In partnership with Bank of America, the drive supports 19K+ students living in NYC’s shelter system who need support for a brighter tomorrow. In their inaugural year, Unqorkers donated 34 backpacks filled with supplies—and aimed for 50 this year!
Hear from Volunqork President, Marc Hassan—a Distinguished Engineer who has worked at Unqork for 7 years—on this year’s event and what his involvement with Volunqork means to him.
What inspired the CERG to choose to support the back-to-school initiative?
“Back to school” is something that we can all relate to, no matter how long it’s been since we were there ourselves. The Volunqork leadership team is a mix of caregivers and former educators who know children are our future. There is such a big need in our local community to support kids in the NYC shelter system to be successful on their first day of school. Also, both our remote and in-office employees participated to make an impact, which is a big plus.
How many backpacks did you donate this year?
We were just shy of 50 backpacks, but we donated more than 50 backpacks’ worth of school supplies to help fill the empty backpacks received by other organizations, so we were able to help more than 50 students have a great first day back to school.
How was the response you received from employees on contributing to the goal?
We received a lot of enthusiasm from our colleagues. Packages arrived at the office daily with folders, binders, markers, paint sets—you name it. We partnered with our Chief Customer Officer, Matt Singleton, who made homemade ice cream to celebrate the fundraiser’s success with an ice cream social as a nod to “back-to-school.” Additionally, it was rewarding to see the teamwork. It took everyone’s effort to distribute the items to the right age groups, so everyone enjoyed the puzzle.
Can you share a story or moment from the fundraiser that made you especially proud of the team’s efforts?
Our Chief Evangelist, Rich Robinson, was able to take advantage of a bulk discount on backpack supplies that let us acquire a lot of items that our budget may not have normally allowed. Tapping into his extensive network to reach our goals was a fun example of how many people Rich knows.
What was your favorite part of this event?
Definitely Matt Singleton (CCO)’s homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream with whipped cream.
You were a founding member of Volunqork. Why was creating this group important to you?
At other companies, I’ve seen how volunteering strengthens the sense of community in the workplace by bringing employees together behind a common goal. It also gives employees a chance to get outside the office and interact with people in our neighborhood.`
What have been some of your most impactful experiences with Volunqork?
I am proud of the relationship we have built with God’s Love We Deliver – a kitchen that originally was founded to serve folks affected by HIV/AIDS and now has evolved to deliver nutritious, medically tailored meals for people living with severe and chronic illness in NYC. I always enjoy volunteering in the kitchen there because I get to see everyone’s culinary skills. We always have some friendly competition about which teams get the most done and who has the best cooking skills!
In what ways does volunteering together strengthen the sense of community within our company?
Volunteering together allows us to live our Qorks (Human First & One Team).