LifeSeasons and GEMS Give Back
LifeSeasons, a health and wellness supplement company, has been a GEMS partner for 10 years. They provide a generous monthly donation to GEMS to cover the majority of our overhead costs, which allows us to put donations to work more fully in South Sudan. As part of LifeSeasons’ ongoing humanitarian efforts, they are excited to introduce LifeSeasons GivesBack company-paid volunteer time.
LifeSeasons is passionate about life. They want everyone in the world to live their best lives and recognize that in order to lead happy, healthy, and full lives, people need their most basic needs met. That’s why each quarter, LifeSeasons encourages employees to become involved in their communities, lending their voluntary support to programs that positively impact the quality of life within these communities. Employees can take four hours of paid time each quarter to participate in their specific or group volunteer activity.
The program aims to create meaningful and purposeful community engagement by volunteering for organizations that give back to the community. At the same time, LifeSeasons recognizes that participating in these activities will also enrich and inspire the lives of our employees. Their give back programs kicked off on Friday, September 23rd. Employees around the country met to lend a helping hand in three US cities: Irvine, Dallas, and Provo.
Second Harvest Food Bank in Irvine, California
Our team members rolled up their sleeves to help feed the hungry at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Orange County, California. The organization provides access to nutritious food to ensure that no one in the community goes hungry. Together, the CA team harvested 600 pounds or 1,300 servings of vegetables!
VP of Marketing, April Tapley spoke about her day giving back: “It felt so good to get outside and connect with my co-workers and to the source of our food… and do it for the purpose of helping those in need. I’ve been wanting to volunteer for a long time, and I had been struggling with making time to do so. LifeSeasons providing that time for us has helped encourage me to create more time on my own to do this rewarding work.”
The Stewpot in Dallas, Texas
Nine LifeSeasons employees gathered in Dallas to support The Stewpot, an organization dedicated to helping the homeless, by providing resources for basic survival needs, as well as opportunities to start a new life.
“One of the things I loved about The Stewpot organization here in Dallas is that, while its main issue is working to help those who experience homelessness, it's not just about providing housing,” said Heather Olsen, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at LifeSeasons and VP of Operations at GEMS.
“They see the whole person and provide programs to meet their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. It reminded me a lot of LifeSeasons actually,” she added.
Community Action Services & Food Bank in Provo, Utah
18 Utah-based team members volunteered for the Community Action Services and Food Bank. The nonprofit organization in Provo, Utah provides resources and long-term solutions to help community members break out of poverty.
LifeSeasons Education Coordinator, Shelby Smith, described her day giving back:
“It was an amazing opportunity to spend time with co-workers and work with people, not on my team. Being able to connect while we helped people in our community was very rewarding. The group I worked in was tasked with organizing donations, while others made hygiene kits or helped build, move, and take down furniture and storage shelves for a big project at the facility. At the end of the four hours, the facility manager told us our group collectively accomplished a month's worth of work for them! It was a great reminder that many hands make light work.”
Those who couldn’t join the group programs gave back individually for their community. Senior SEO Copywriter, Allison Dienstman, volunteered for Arizona’s Black Mountain Foothills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The non-profit supports community service, historical preservation and education, as well as honoring and supporting those who serve our nation. Members are descendants of patriots who helped secure the independence of the United States.
Also in Arizona, Accounting Clerk, Tiffany King, spent the day with her 18-year-old daughter to serve the homeless in Phoenix. They were each assigned to a family that was given an amount of money to spend at Target to buy their children winter clothes.
“My daughter and I had such a great time. The people we helped were so appreciative, and we enjoyed ourselves so much that we signed up as a family to go help serve the homeless Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day and then again, my daughter and I plan to help out in the warehouse during December sorting toys to give to the children for Christmas. I am so grateful to LifeSeasons to help me think outside of myself and get me more involved in helping my community,” said Tiffany.
GEMS and LifeSeasons are looking forward to the upcoming Gives Back group volunteer programs
November 2022
Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa, California
December 2022
Christian Community Action in Lewisville, Texas
Community Action in Provo, Utah
January 2023
Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colorado
February 2023
GEMS Medical Clinic Trip, Majak Goi, South Sudan
Giving Back to Our Global Community
‘Community’ is not defined as just local community. It also encompasses a global perspective, which is why we’re so passionate about supporting the world’s most vulnerable, starting in South Sudan.
GEMS Development Foundation is dedicated to helping the people of South Sudan by building life-saving medical facilities, clean water wells, and sustainable food sources.
Join our efforts to make the world a better place by giving back. Donating goats helps feed the world’s most vulnerable children and families by providing sustainable food sources to those at risk of starvation in South Sudan. One she-goat can produce over one liter of nutrient-rich milk every day—life-saving nourishment that a family needs to survive.