At Wayfair, our purpose is to help everyone, anywhere create their feeling of home, and we know that feeling can take many forms, from having a roof over one’s head to receiving the support of friends, family and community - particularly during times of need. National Volunteer Week, which takes place in April each year, provides our team an opportunity to celebrate the impact of community service and identify new ways to give back. With the majority of our teams still working remotely and not able to volunteer in person, this year we had to get creative.
Partnering with Generus, a company that creates engaging and educational virtual volunteer opportunities, Wayfair hosted two volunteering events in honor of National Volunteer Week. For the first event, approximately 100 employees took time out of their days to volunteer their time in support of LBGTQIA+ youth suicide prevention as well as older adults facing isolation and loneliness. For the youth suicide prevention volunteering, employees were sent a kit that included paints and journals to decorate, which were sent to young people as part of the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth ( BAGLY, Inc.).
The second event consisted of employees gathering together to share and record their own personal stories. These videos were sent to older individuals who are suffering from isolation as a result of the social distancing requirements implemented due to the pandemic.
“This was the first time I joined an event like this since I started at Wayfair last year, and it was a pretty eye opening experience,” said Penny, a manager on our Partner Operations team who volunteered to support LBGTQIA+ youth. “Joining this event was a huge learning experience for me. I had the opportunity to learn about the LBGTQIA+ community, hear other people’s perspectives and learn from their experiences.”
These events not only allowed our employees to support communities in need, it also provided an opportunity to get to know their Wayfair teammates from areas of our business they might not have connected with otherwise.
From our homes to our communities, Wayfair is committed to making the spaces we work and live in better places to call home. Read more about our commitments and corporate responsibilities here.