PHILADELPHIA (PRWEB) August 16, 2019
Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano is expanding its outreach to the community by using its most valuable asset—its people. The firm has announced a new volunteer time off program to give employees an incentive to get more involved in the community.
Under the new program, employees can use up to seven hours of work time per year to volunteer for good causes during the workday. And Pond Lehocky's staff will get an immediate opportunity to put the volunteer time to good use. The firm is presenting its inaugural "7 Days of Summer Giving."
Similar to Pond Lehocky's 25 Days of Giving, which the firm has done for the last two years, the firm will spend August 16-22 volunteering in the community and donating to charitable causes. Each day will have its own theme with employees getting a chance to help the children, animals, the homeless, the sick, the poor, labor unions and veterans.
Pond Lehocky's partners figured that giving back is so rewarding, why restrict it to the holiday season.
The schedule for the 7 Days of Summer Giving is as follows:
- Day 1: Giving to Animals - The Pennsylvania SPCA will be coming into the office on Friday, August 16, from 12:00 - 2:00 PM. Staff will be able to pet a puppy while learning about opportunities to use their VTO. They will also be donating food, toys and other necessities.
- Day 2: Giving to Environmental Causes - On Saturday, August 17, staff will be participating in a clean-up project at Rittenhouse Square from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
- Day 3: Giving to Labor - Pond Lehocky will be giving back to these hard-working men and women of labor on Sunday, August 18, providing food and beverages to different groups of workers around the area.
- Day 4: Giving to the Homeless - On Monday, August 19, Pond Lehocky will be going to the Chosen 300 Ministry at 6:00 PM to serve food, drinks, clothing and hygiene products to those in need.
- Day 5: Giving to the Sick - On Tuesday, August 20, Pond Lehocky associate Brynn Lapszynski will be speaking about Social Security disability to the Gift of Life family house at 7:00 PM. The Gift of Life provides housing to families waiting for organ transplants.
- Day 6: Giving to Children - On Wednesday, August 21, firm staff will be assembling "Bev’s Basics Kits" for Beverly’s Birthday, an organization that provides birthday cheer to homeless children and families in need.
- Day 7: Giving to Veterans - On Thursday, August 22, Pond Lehocky staff members will be going to the Veterans Multi-Service Center from 12:00 – 2:00 PM to play Bingo with veterans.
The firm recognizes that it is a privilege to represent the hard-working people of the community, who have trusted the firm to fight for them. The firm’s partners believe that with this privilege giving back to the community through educational and charitable efforts is not just an option, it’s a duty. This privilege comes with a duty to give back to the community. Thus, Pond Lehocky has made community engagement on local, national and global levels a centerpiece of its firm culture.
Pond Lehocky's partners and its executive team recognize that the firm's charitable outreach and the addition of VTO are also valuable tool to keep employees engaged and motivated.
A 2017 UnitedHealthcare study concluded that individuals who regularly volunteer report lower stress levels (79 percent), improved moods (93 percent) and improved self-esteem (88 percent). Respondents also said that volunteering has helped them develop professional and collaborative skills.
"Giving back to the community is our social responsibility," Pond Lehocky's Chief Human Resources Officer Jennifer Heinz said. "It is not only fun, rewarding and makes people feel good, but it is also just the right thing to do."
Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano opened its doors in July 2010. Today, it is the largest workers’ compensation and Social Security disability law firm in the region and has expanded nationwide with offices in New Jersey, New York and California. The firm has also recently added new practice areas for workers, including employment law and long-term disability, and has a national referral network, which has helped 86,000 clients with referrals.