How Namely Employees Gave Back During Gratitude Month

During the month of November, people around the world reflected on what they’re grateful for. To recognize National Gratitude Month this year, Namely selected 5 employees every week of November to receive a $100 grant to donate to a charity of their choice via Bright Funds.

To encourage employees to give thanks to one another, Namely’s HR team decided that they’d determine each week’s winners by randomly choosing 5 people who had been appreciated on the Namely news feed.

The news feed is a social media-like tool within Namely’s HR platform that employees use to make internal announcements, view coworkers’ birthdays and work anniversaries, and post appreciations for each other. 

In just one month, 105 Namely employees were appreciated by their coworkers on the news feed. As promised, Namely gave 20 of those employees each a $100 charitable grant. 

So where did Namely’s Gratitude Month winners give back to?

Here are 10 organizations that Namely employees donated to during this year’s season of giving:

Sandy Hook Promise Foundation

“I donated to the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation. Having grown up in Connecticut, the tragedy is still fresh in my memory. I'm glad to support their mission to end school shootings through cultural change in our communities.”  — Brian Dei Dolori, Sr. Professional Services Consultant

Project ALS

“My cousin was recently diagnosed with ALS. After receiving her diagnosis, she teamed up with an amazing non-profit called Project ALS and started speaking at their virtual events to spread awareness and share her story. When I won Namely’s Gratitude Month donation, I was so thrilled and donated it to Project ALS right away. This donation will go towards funding treatments to help my cousin and others with ALS and potentially find a cure.” — Vienna Stivala, Sr. Marketing Associate, Content Development & Client Advocacy

Alzheimer's Association

"The Alzheimer's Association means a lot to me as I have personally been impacted by Alzheimer's disease. My maternal grandfather suffered with this disease for 12 years. There is still a lot of work to do and research to be done to find a cure and if there is anything I can do to support the cause, that is my desire!” — Kylee Reeves, Sr. Professional Services Consultant

Blueprint 58

“I donated to Blueprint 58. This Atlanta-based non-profit organizes mentor relationships for young people in the Adair Park neighborhood in South Atlanta starting at 4th grade. Blueprint 58's mission is to empower youth to grow into community leaders through mutually transformational relationships. I believe in the power of mentorship and allyship, and I have benefitted from having allies to look up to in my personal childhood, though not through Blueprint. I am excited to play a small part in enabling similar relationships for others because of Gratitude month at Namely!” — Cara Hendsbee, Service Consultant

Black Lives Matter Systemic Change Fund

“I donated to the Black Lives Matter Systemic Change Fund for a few reasons, but most importantly to me is the change I wish to see for my 3-year-old African American son who will, undoubtedly, have the unfortunate experience of being black in America. My hope is that through Namely's generous monetary allotment, this non-profit will have the resources to align with some true accomplishments of the Black Lives Matter movement. It also warms my heart that, while I am unable to be a part of grass-roots protest, I can still help and ultimately affect real change for the people of black and brown descendants.”  — Latrice Shannon, Professional Services Consultant, Benefits

Ocean Conservancy Inc.

“Donating to Ocean Conservancy Inc. means that I am fighting to protect the ocean from today's global challenges. I'm inspired by the sheer vastness and biodiversity of the ocean, as well as the people and communities who rely on it. The ocean has played a major role in my life since I was a kid, and I hope that one day my family can enjoy it just as much as I did.” — Nick Mangakis, Sr. Sales Development Representative

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

“I donated to Planned Parenthood of Greater New York because I live in Brooklyn and want to ensure that my community, especially those who identify as women, get the medical care that they need regardless of their ability to pay. Planned Parenthood provides an array of services to everyone, regardless of their age, gender identity, and immigration status. This is a value that I believe in which helps make our society stronger, more equitable, and healthier.” — Erin Rittweger, Program Manager

Reading Partners & Neighbors Link

“I split my $100 grant and donated $50 to Reading Partners and $50 to Neighbors Link. Reading Partners is a non-profit organization that provides tutoring to students across the U.S. who have fallen below grade level in reading. I chose this organization because during COVID, it's easier than ever for kids to fall behind in school. Reading Partners helps identify those in need of support and provides them with the resources they need to read at grade level by 4th grade. 

Neighbors Link is an organization that works to help and empower immigrant families by providing them with English language classes, legal services, advocacy, parent education, and more. I served as a volunteer at Neighbors Link for a year and saw first hand how impactful their efforts are on parents and children of immigrant families.” — Georgia Morley, Sr. Sales Development Representative