APRIL IS NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH: STORIES FROM OUR COMMUNITIES
April is National Volunteer Month in the United States, a month dedicated to honoring all of the volunteers in our communities as well as encouraging volunteerism throughout the month. At Publicis Health, community involvement is one of our central tenets, and we believe that our culture is stronger and our work is better when we contribute to the communities where we live and work.
We believe that we all do our best work when we bring our whole selves to work, and that includes bringing awareness to the organizations, causes and initiatives that we are passionate about. All PHers can take up to one paid day per year to volunteer and Publicis Health will match time spent volunteering at a rate of $10 per hour as a donation to the organization.
Check out some of the volunteer stories from our Publicis Health colleagues and reach out if you have a volunteer story you want to share!
Laurie Mellon, SVP, Talent, Publicis Health
I volunteer at the Humane Society of Ocean City to walk shelter dogs while they anxiously wait for their forever families. It’s an incredibly rewarding opportunity to support my community and I look forward to every single shift—rain or shine!
I moved full-time to Ocean City, NJ, earlier this year and I wanted to find ways to meet people and make an impact on this great town, touted as “America’s Favorite Family Resort.” I have always loved animals and have two cats (shout out to Archie and Avery!) but my work and travel schedule prohibited me from having a dog.
When I began spending more time at home, I considered adopting a dog, but my cats essentially staged a protest against a dog entering our family. They won. By volunteering at the shelter, I’m able to get in my dog snuggles while providing them the attention and love they deserve. I look forward to seeing my favorites when I show up for my shift, and at the same time I hope they aren’t there because they found their people.
My furry charges and I also get our hearts pumping and take in lots of fresh salt air on our walks, I usually come home having walked at least three miles.
If you visit Ocean City this summer and would like to see who’s up for adoption, please contact them at http://hsocnj.org/. Adopt don’t shop! Check out adoption and volunteer opportunities in your area, too.
Emily Costa, Director, HR, Publicis Health
Recently, I have started donating blood. As wild as this sounds, I didn’t realize I was O negative until I was pregnant three years ago. My mom could have sworn I was B positive. This year, I learned how important my blood was to others and my family.
My cousin’s husband was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare but highly aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and he required transfusions throughout the last six months. He is O negative. O negative is the universal blood type and is the most common blood type used for transfusions when the blood type is unknown. This is why it is used most often in trauma, emergency, surgery, and any situation where blood type is unknown.
Only 7% of the population has type O negative blood. Due to its versatility for transfusions, it is in high demand. Because I was O negative, I was able to donate blood directly to my cousin’s husband via the Red Cross. It was relatively painless, although I am not a needle fan. But in an hour or so, I was able to help someone I loved dearly. At that moment, I committed to giving blood at a minimum of two times a year, if not more.
In a situation where I felt utterly helpless, I was able to help my cousin’s husband. It was a very tangible feeling, and if I could provide relief for any other family, why wouldn’t I.
Learn more about your blood type at the American Red Cross and download the Blood Donor App to schedule blood donations quickly.
