OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a frequent beneficiary of employees’ time and energy in many Corning communities. Dozens of employees at the Corning Life Science plant near Durham, N.C., for example, spent two Saturdays in June 2017 building a home for a local family. The Corning volunteers donated more than 160 hours of hands-on labor. Said one: “I would do this again and again!”
Operation Gratitude
More than 100 employees in Corning, N.Y. and Keene, N.H. assemble at least 500 teddy bears each holiday season to comfort children of deployed U.S. military members. They accompany the gifts with notes of encouragement and thanks for the families’ sacrifices. Veterans in the group have a special understanding of the stress these children experience, and help draw in widespread participation from other volunteers.
Employee resource groups
Employees are able to meet colleagues, learn about corporate culture, and support their communities through many employee resource groups. One group, the Corning Professionals Network, hosts volunteer days for new employees at places like Food Bank of the Southern Tier in Elmira and other non-profit organizations in Corning communities. “I think most employees understand the importance of giving back,” said one organizer. “They have a sense of pride in coming together to make a positive difference in their community.”
CHOICES
For more than two decades, hundreds of employee volunteers have hosted large groups of eighth-grade girls to spend a day at a Corning facility and learn about STEM-related careers. The program, CHOICES, is designed to engage and motivate girls at a pivotal time in their lives. Volunteers lead girls through a wide variety of workshops, including practice job interviews.
“Once you get involved, it spurs that personal side of you to do more. You feel closer to your community, and you want to work and make it even better.”
Melissa Schmidt, Administrative Assistant, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, N.C.
