Since Far Reach opened its doors a decade ago, the community has given us so much. So to celebrate our 10th anniversary, we turned to our first core value—“Make
a Difference.”
When it came time to decide how to make a difference, the team didn’t have to reach far. We couldn’t imagine a group that embodies the spirit of giving back more than House of Hope.
House of Hope is a Waterloo nonprofit organization that helps homeless single moms achieve self-sufficiency by providing transitional housing and support. On top of offering vital services, its staff has a reputation as people who just get stuff done.
Every day, they make a difference.
On April 25, the Far Reach team descended on House of Hope with armloads of supplies and a can-do spirit.
Volunteering felt great. We helped with a variety of tasks, including sorting and moving furniture, cleaning the basement, and reorganizing the garage to make it easier for staff to access.
Far Reach team members said they benefited from the experience as much, if not more, than House of Hope’s staff and clients.
It gave brand-new employee Natalie Thompson a memorable first day. “It was awesome getting to know my other coworkers on a deeper, less technical level,” said Natalie. “It was fun to get down and dirty with our hands to
help a great cause.”
For Scrum Master Angie Steffen, the experience was a good reminder of how fortunate she is. “It gave me a deeper appreciation for everything I have in life and how blessed I’ve been to be where I am,” said Angie.
Marco Carrera, a developer who works remotely from Fairfield, liked how it brought the team closer—literally and figuratively. “Between varying schedules and working remotely, it’s rare we’re all in the same room together,”
said Marco. “Experiences like this help you develop bonds with team members you can’t always make in the boardroom or chat room.”
Developer Tyler Kane said it felt great to give back. “We receive a lot of support from the community, so giving back shows our appreciation for what they do,” said Tyler.
And Kelly Kimmich, business strategist, liked that it was a true company effort. “Volunteering is fun, especially when you're with such a great group that works well together,” said Kelly. “The best part is seeing the impact we've made
at the end.”
Do you want to make an impact, too? Contact House of Hope. There are a lot of needs and many ways to help.
PS – Sure, we’d rather get our hands dirty than throw a fine champagne gala. (We’ll save that for our 50th.) But we’re not averse to a little fun, too. That’s why we’re inviting you to our 10th anniversary open house on May 17 from 4:30 to 7 p.m., right here at our office. No champagne, but there will be plenty of Tony’s pizza, Scratch cupcakes, wine and beer, and lively
conversation.
The open house is our way of thanking you for making a difference—and making the last 10 years possible. We couldn’t have done it without you.