Lions Giving Back in 2019

Members of the pride motivated to make a difference

Last updated: December 21, 2019 7:32AM

Our mission at Lionbridge is to build bridges and break barriers. For our lions, that commitment extends beyond the workplace. This year, in recognition of our pride’s enthusiasm to give back to their communities, Lionbridge encouraged employees to take an official “Volunteer Day” in which they spend a work day pursuing a volunteer project of their choice. The results were phenomenal. Around the world, lions traveled near and far to connect with communities and make a difference.

Read more for 10 times lions inspired us by giving back in 2019:

♦ Vicky Smith – African Adventures, Volta, Ghana

As a Data Collector with our team in Barnoldswick, England, Vicky did not let distance stop her from pursuing a volunteer project that truly mattered to her. Lionbridge's Vicky Smith making a funny face with children from Ghana for her lionbridge volunteer day Her Lionbridge Volunteer Day brought her across the world to Ghana, Africa. In partnership with the volunteer travel organization African Adventures, she spent nine days working to provide education, health/food security, and social support to young people whose access to these basic services is limited. Vicky describes her experience as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. She states: “although the pictures don’t do justice to how wonderful it was, when you see the smiling faces of the children, I’m sure you’ll see why I will never forget this trip.”

♦ Mumbai Team – Monsoon relief, Kumbhar Wadi

Lionbridge Mumbai team members exchanging garbage back for monsoon relief After a devastating monsoon season for Maharashtra, India, a group of lions from the Mumbai team, traveled to the Sangli – Kolhapur region to provide relief support. In a small village of potters and artisans, they visited and restored kitchens in 40 homes by collecting and handing out essential kitchen supplies. The team notes, “the thankful smiles on the faces of the families is our reward for a lifetime!”

♦ Irina Pop, Felomena Kurck and Pilawan Kaila – Hope charity organization, Tampere, Finland

Representing the Lionbridge Tampere office in Finland, employees Irina Pop, Felomena Kurck and Pilawan Kaila, volunteered their time with the Hope charity organization. Lionbridge Finland employee sorting clothes with Hope charity organization The Finland team has a long-standing relationship with Hope, whose mission to support children in need resonates with their own values. This year, they took action to organize a collection drive from employees and donated an assortment of materials including gift cards and tickets to amusement parks. The team explains, “children are the hope of the world, but children only become hopeful when they feel loved and taken care of. Each of us can influence the kind of world our children grow up in and the kind of world we want to live in.”

♦ Brossard Team – Colonie des Grèves de Contrecœur, Contrecoeur, Quebec

On Tuesday, October 8, a pride of lions from the Brossard office in Canada helped the Colonie des Grèves de Contrecœur as part of the United Way campaign and the company’s annual volunteer day. Lionbridge Brosard team group photo at Colonie des Grèves de Contrecœur The Colonie’s main mission is to offer children from all backgrounds the chance to enjoy a summer camp experience that is both fulfilling and socially beneficial. This year, Lionbridge employees worked together to set up a big Halloween party for underprivileged children. The team remembers: “it was a beautiful fall day, and everyone came together to decorate a number of installations, along with raking some leaves that covered the site.”

♦ Waltham Team – Cradles to Crayons, Boston, Massachusetts

Lionbridge Waltham team group photo posing with kids from Cradles to Crayons Members of our Waltham team spent a Volunteer Day working with the Boston-based organization Cradles to Crayons. Cradles to Crayons works with more than 35,000 families, individuals, community groups, and companies to serve over 145,000 children in Greater Boston and across Massachusetts annually. Lionbridge volunteers sorted and inspected donations, then packaged them for delivery to the children who need them.

♦ Alina Fernandez – A Precious Child, Broomfield, Colorado

Lionbridge's Alina Fernandez poses at a Precious Child charity organization Showing truly inspirational initiative, Director of GDC Resourcing & Process Optimization and 20-year dedicated lion, Alina Fernandez independently found a volunteer project to give back to her community. She and her daughter took family bonding to the next level, volunteering with A Precious Child, a non-profit aimed at supporting children in need. They spent the day sorting donated shoes, clothes, and other household items. Alina describes, “it was an incredible experience for me and also for the kids to understand and appreciate how much we have!”

♦ Waltham Team – The Food Project, Lincoln, Ma

Lionbridge Waltham team member digs in the dirt at a local community farm As yet another example of their dedication to service, the Waltham team came out in numbers to spend a Volunteer Day working on a local sustainable farm. The Food Project is a community of farmers dedicated to building a sustainable food system and providing the Boston area with fresh, healthy, affordable food. Volunteers travelled to Lincoln, MA to spend the day digging in the dirt and planting a harvest fruits and vegetables for their community to enjoy.

♦ Elena Pirttisalo and Marta Pekkarinen – The Healthy Step into Nature, Finland

Lionbridge's Finland team poses poses with volunteers at nature conservatory From our headquarters in Finland, Elena Pirttisalo and Marta Pekkarinen took the occasion to spend their Volunteer Day volunteering on a local nature conservation. They partnered with Healthy Step into Nature to restore the valuable and rare juniper meadow flower and remove invasive plant species.

♦ Mumbai Team – MBA Foundation, Mumbai, India

Lionbridge's Mumbai team poses at the MBA Foundation On September, 23^rd a team of Mumbai Lions chose to spend a Volunteer Day giving back with the MBA Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering differently-abled people. They participated in the annual medical check-up by helping over 100 disabled patients with their daily activities in the Hiranandani Hospital in Powai. “We volunteers realized that joy of giving is unparalleled and the best way to find oneself is selfless service. We've promised MBA foundation that we will be there every month - to nurture the bonds made.”

♦ Waltham Team – FamilyAid, Boston, MA

In another group volunteer initiative, the Waltham team banded together to support FamilyAid Boston in April. FamilyAid is the leading provider of solutions to family homelessness in Greater Boston, Lionbridge's Waltham Team poses at FamilyAid volunteer site empowering parents and caregivers facing homelessness to secure and sustain housing and build strong foundations for their children’s futures. Waltham lions took action to help FamilyAid paint shelters for families in an under-resourced neighborhood of Boston.

♦ Sofia – Pirkanmaan Animal Welfare Association, Tampere, Finland

As 2019 comes to a close, Lionbridge Resource Coordinator, Sofia is celebrating the holidays by volunteering with a local non-profit in Tampere, Finland. Lionbridge's Resource Coordinator Sofia wrapping presents at craft table She spent her Volunteer day wrapping gifts to raise money for the Pirkanmaan Animal Welfare Association, an organization providing food and medical care for homeless animals in need. Not only does she have a deep appreciation for the value of this organization, she also took the opportunity to spend a day doing an activity she loves—wrapping presents for others.