Avascend Community Involvement
Avascend is a company that thrives on delivering service. We look for team members with a true servant's heart. We believe it is important for us to be part of our community, while at work and after work. Our goal is to give people a hand up; efforts that enable them to move ahead in their lives and hopefully pay it forward as they grow.
At Avascend, we encourage our team members to reach this goal through our Avascend GIVES Program. The mission of the GIVES program is for our team members to Get Involved, Volunteer, Encourage, and Support.
Our team members are continually reminded of the importance to get involved, volunteer, encourage and support groups or activities in their community that help others. Avascend supports this effort by offering its employees paid time off to give back to the community. In addition to giving back to the community, team members are also encouraged to give back to fellow team members by donating their paid time off (PTO) into a bank. This bank is then available for team members to draw from when a need arises, and they may not have their own PTO to pull from.
We regularly recognize the involvement of the Avascend GIVES Program. Read some of our GIVES success stories below.
The Team at Argosy Lawrenceburg Hotel and Casino in Lawrenceburg, IN has given back through:
Relay for Life: A community event that is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. It's a 24 hour event that focuses on raising money for the Cancer Society to research and find a cure for cancer. The team raises money by collecting change from their tips and donating to Relay for Life. Most recently they donated more than $200.The Yes Home: The Yes Home is a local home for teenagers. In past years the team raised money to take the kids "back to school" shopping and they have sponsored a drive to collect paper, pencils, backpacks, etc. The team volunteered their time to give the young ladies makeovers, as well as playing touch football with the young men.
The Outreach Program: The Outreach Program provides house painting services to those that don't have the means to paint their own home. The team volunteers with other local businesses to help paint community homes.
The Kansas City Private Events Team:
The Private Events Team works with our current clients nationwide on a regular basis by donating Valet Services for private events. Here are some of the events:
7th Annual Will to Succeed Foundation: The Private Events Team recently donated Valet Parking Services for the foundation at the Overland Park Convention Center.
Fox 4 Love Fund for Children: The Private Events Team donated Valet Parking at the KC Health Home to raise money for several agencies supporting Kansas City children of need. Collectively, the team donated their tips back to the organization.
"I wanted to personally thank your company and the wonderful staff...Your entire organization was friendly and just a pleasure to work with." - Joyce Eacock, Director of Special Events, Fox 4 Love Fund
Spelman Medical Foundation: The Private Events Team donated Valet Parking Services for the Spelman Medical Foundation.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City: The Private Events Team donated Valet Parking Services for the Big Brothers Big Sisters annual Golf Tournament.
Avascend Corporate Office:
Big Brothers Big Sisters Summer Bowl for Kids Sake: Summer Bowl For Kids' Sake is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City's single most important fundraising campaign of the year.
As a total the 3 teams raised, $5,039 with the help of a sizeable donation from Avascend and the help of many of Avascend team members. The team lead by Kelly DeLaTorre raised $2,929, the team lead by Dawn Rice raised $1,075, and the team lead by Tiffany Ford raised $1,035. In total there were 13 people from Avascend who participated.
Summer Bowl for Kids' Sake rose over $254,000 with money still being pledged until the end of July. A total of 1,440 people participated in this event with the average team raising $1,056.27 for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Operation "Don't Bug Me": The Avascend Corporate Office participated in the summer campaign of "Operation Don't Bug Me". This operation asks that items such as bug spray, eye drops, cortisone cream, lip balm, fly swatters and sticky paper, sunglasses, and suntan lotion be sent to the troops. With this campaign, and all others, all branches of the U.S. military are supported.
The Human Resources Department collected items from Avascend Team Members and sent a care package on July 11, 2008. The platoon that received the care package has 25 members. In total Avascend sent about 75 items to the platoon. In addition to the care package there was a letter and Thank You card that was signed by our office staff.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Tournament: In 2008, Big Brothers Big Sisters hosted 54 golf teams on June 16 and June 30 at the National Golf Club, raising over $275,000. Several Avascend Team Members volunteered thier time to help make this event a great success.
The September Service SumMIT candidates had the opportunity to participate in an Avascend GIVES activity in conjunction with Reach Out and Read Kansas City and Operation Breakthrough located in Kansas City Missouri.
Reach Out and Read Kansas City is a not-for-profit program through the Kansas University Endowment Association at the University of Kansas Medical Center that makes literacy promotion a standard part of care so that children grow up with books and enter school ready to read.
Operation Breakthrough is to help children who are living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment. Operation Breakthrough also strives to support and empower the children's families through advocacy, referral services and emergency aid.
Five candidates including, Kenneth Quick, Sault Sainte Marie Michigan, Kevin Ludlow, Medford Oregon, Kevin Downard, Muncie Indiana, Safi Mahmud, Washington DC and Matthew Muckenthaler, Overland Park Kansas attended a one hour training program at the Operation Breakthrough headquarters on the benefits of the program and the experience of volunteering. They were then broken into groups to read and play literacy games with individuals in pre-school classrooms.
The Team at Advocate Trinity Hospital in Chicago, IL:
The Chicago Family Health Center & The American Cancer Society: Two Avascend Team Members played in a charity softball league that supports The Chicago Family Health Center & The American Cancer Society.
The Team at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, MI:
Avascend Team Members will be donating tips to the Hospital Care Fund. This fund is a source for indigent patients to help with medical bills.
