Working Together to Get People Better
On Friday, May 20, 2016, volunteers from LinkedIn, a business-oriented professional social networking service, volunteered for some hard labor at three ICL residences. Every month, LinkedIn’s social impact arm, Linked In For Good, offer employees the opportunity to engage in InDay, a community service day organized around a different theme each month
May’s theme was Giving Back. We had three sets of volunteers working at our Rugby Road, Lawton, and Halsey residences. The volunteers painted, gardened, and generally beautified much of the outdoor space at each site.
The individuals living at these sites face myriad challenges. Some have intellectual/developmental disabilities; others are transitioning from incarceration, hospitalization, or homelessness before moving on to more permanent housing. All are given services and supports that help them achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves on their life’s journey.
The morning started off with an overview of ICL. A more in-depth view of each program was also given and the volunteers got to meet and speak with some residents. Then everyone got to work, painting railings, facades, and doors, planting flowers and mulching the gardens, and cleaning up the outdoor space at each site so residents can sit outside and socialize during nice weather.
The residents were thrilled, and the staff are busily planning ways to make use of the newly beautified sites with barbecues and possibly new vegetable gardens. And the volunteers? They reported feeling fulfilled, knowing they had given back to the community.
We’re hoping to connect with another InDay in the future. We’ve included some before and after shots below and make sure to check out ICL’s Facebook page to see the full InDay album.
