At 270 Strategies, we believe in giving back to our communities so last week, we shut down our computers, threw our phones aside, and rolled up our sleeves to support the cities we cherish most.
The Washington DC Office
The DC office had an amazing day at the Malcolm X Recreation Center, the site of a DC public school in SE before it was closed a couple years ago. The location was directly in the center of a gang war and because it became unoccupied when the school closed, it turned into an area where frequent violence was taking place. The community in the area pressured DC Government to reopen the space as a safe area for the kids in the community to spend time after school. Because of that pressure, the Malcolm X Recreation Center opened backup a few weeks ago as a space for kids to hang out and for organizations to offer various services to families. Our DC team was able to make a direct impact at the center. In the beautiful sunshine, our staff provided resources to paint and garden, greatly improving the quality of the buildings and greenery at the center.
The Chicago Office
In Chicago, our team partnered with The Cara Program, an incredible non-profit that helps adults affected by homeless and poverty get and keep quality jobs. The day kicked off with Monday Motivations! This is where students in the job training program start their day by firing each other up through song and dance. Our team learned more about their training program which goes far beyond resume workshops. Students focus on personal and professional development to ensure they are fully equipped to have a successful career. Next, it was the 270 team’s turn to be the teachers. Staff worked with students on how to tell their stories to motivate others and practiced over pizza. Finally the afternoon was spent with Cara’s development team helping develop online and offline strategies to increase their donor and volunteer base so they can continue to do the big things they do.
The New York City Office
One of our New Yorkers spent the day getting to know her community on the Upper East Side with some of her favorite non-profits thinking about volunteer retention. Another 270 staffer helped an elderly woman who is losing her sight set up some voice activated technology – including an Amazon Echo. She trained it to her voice, and connected it to her Amazon account so she can download and listen to audiobooks and music. Together, they also reconfigured her computer and Kindle so she can use them with the little sight she does have. Additionally, they created large links on the desktop to her favorite YouTube videos and walked though how to access everything many times over. It was a day well spent giving back in the Big Apple.
