Ninety-one days of giving: TQL Cares Volunteer Challenge helps nonprofits advance their missions
TQL’ers complete 148 service projects from April through JuneKey points:
- Charity Captains led giving efforts in their communities during the three-month TQL Cares Volunteer Challenge.
- The Volunteer Challenge gave TQL’ers opportunities to build leadership skills, collaborate with teammates and support causes they care about.
- Nearly 1,600 TQL’ers across 51 offices contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours from April to June.
For 91 days this spring, TQL employees made time to make a difference.
Nearly 1,600 employees across 51 offices participated in the TQL Cares Volunteer Challenge, a three-month initiative that encourages employees across the company to serve their communities through team volunteer projects.
Led by Charity Captains, employees who organize team volunteer efforts, TQL teams completed 148 service projects from April through June. Together, TQL’ers supported 91 nonprofit organizations and logged more than 4,000 volunteer hours.
“The TQL Cares Volunteer Challenge brings out the best in our teams. Every hour and every project reflects the dedication of our people and the pride they take in giving back,” said Bethany Worton, a TQL Corporate Giving Specialist. “It also reinforces TQL’s culture of showing up for communities and each other.”
TQL’ers supported a range of causes throughout the Volunteer Challenge. Some made dog treats, packaged cat food and litter, assembled care packages or helped with community gardens. Others cleaned beaches, prepared meals for seniors, built homes for people experiencing homelessness or organized park cleanups.
While every project looked different, each one helped nonprofits expand their impact. From walking shelter dogs to sorting donated food and recyclables, no job was too small for TQL volunteers.
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Where logistics and volunteerism intersect
When a carrier’s pallet of pork tenderloins was rejected from a delivery location over an hour away, Charity Captain Marianna recognized an opportunity instead of a setback.
She was among 25 volunteers at IPM Food Pantry during the Volunteer Challenge, helping replace invasive plants with native foliage in its community garden. During the project, the Logistics Account Executive handling the shipment alerted her team about the situation.
The pork was fresh and needed to move quickly, so the donation was redirected to the food pantry instead of going to waste. Several volunteers stepped away from landscaping to help unload the tenderloins when they arrived.
“It was a unique situation because it brought together what we do every day in logistics with the volunteer work we were doing. Seeing how quickly we were able to connect those resources with people who could use them was incredibly rewarding,” Marianna said.
Marianna also organized projects packing Meals on Wheels deliveries, assembling military care packages, mentoring children through Saturday basketball and restoring trails at Cincinnati Nature Center during the Volunteer Challenge.
She said volunteerism at TQL has shown her that even a few hours of service can make a lasting impact.
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Creating moments that matter
TQL Dallas packed three volunteer projects into this year’s Volunteer Challenge.
Led by Charity Captain Riley, team members prepared and served meals for families at Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, filled care packages for children through a Helpy Hour benefiting Dallas Children's Advocacy Center, and supported 12 learning stations at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
At the Arboretum, volunteers guided hands-on activities about water, plants, insects and more. Riley said the Arboretum event gave volunteers the chance to create meaningful experiences for children and their parents.
"Kids learn through these awesome attractions and interactions and look for us to make sure they have an amazing time," he said. "Seeing some of the sections inspire the younger generation is so cool to see, and anytime we can be a part of that is very special. We are relied on heavily for this event, so I make sure we come through with our best every single time."
When passion meets purpose
Mike, a Satellite Marketing Specialist at TQL Erlanger, combined his passion for service with the Volunteer Challenge by bringing coworkers alongside a mission close to his heart. He runs Being Renewed Ministries Thrift Store in Hebron, Ky., where every purchase helps fund local schools and ministries.
Led by Charity Captain Maggie, 26 TQL’ers volunteered in May to sort clothing. The team went through about 250 bags, organizing 5,000 garments in less than three hours.
Every volunteer hour helps the thrift store continue serving the community.
"When we bring volunteer projects to TQL, the response is incredible," Mike said. "This year, many people stayed until the very end to help load the truck, a job I usually end up doing myself. Seeing coworkers step in and support a mission they believe in makes all the difference."
Interested in working for a company that empowers employees to give back? Explore TQL’s job openings.
