Every year on Community Day — Levi Strauss & Co.’s annual day of service — employees around the globe have the opportunity to spend time away from the office giving back to their local communities. As you can imagine, a lot of effort and coordination is required to identify and plan volunteer projects for employees globally.
Community Ambassadors help with the heavy lift. These individuals raise their hands to help plan Community Day volunteer activities in their local offices. With this year’s big event little more than a month away, our Community Ambassadors are hard at work organizing meaningful projects for their colleagues.
Unzipped had the opportunity to catch up with Mark Grovich, director of operations (and Community Ambassador) at our Canton, Mississippi, distribution center. Here’s what he had to say:
- What inspired you to serve as a Community Ambassador?
I have been lucky enough to be a part of programs like Arts on the Avenue and Habitat for Humanity. You leave the events with a good feeling, like you have accomplished something. In addition, you leave the events with a new impression and with an appreciation for the people who helped make it happen. - What organization are you working with on Community Day 2015?
We’re volunteering at Arts on the Avenue, an annual event to support the art department at Madison Avenue Lower Elementary School. - Why did you select this project?
The arts program is funded mostly by contributions, and we felt that the arts program was something needed to help in the development of the community. We do it in conjunction with the parent-teacher organization. - Tell us a little bit about the work that the employee volunteers will be doing.
We’ll be helping at various booths with art exhibitions and demonstrations. We will be doing everything from serving food, to helping kids make different art projects, to acting as VJ for the choir program, to showing off the kids’ work, to helping clean up when it is done. - Why is this project valuable to your community?
It is important that younger kids get a full complement of courses in elementary school, and if they don’t, we need to do something to help supplement their education. Math and sciences are great, but we shouldn’t forget about the arts. Some of the best ideas have come from people who were moved by music and art. - What’s your favorite part about serving as a Community Ambassador?
Watching some of the other events come to life because people just want to do it on their own. It’s great to see someone get a group together for a good cause and make it happen because they have a desire to do so. You always want to help make sure that their event is a success. - Is there a quote or sentence that helps guide you in life?
Pay it forward.
