On Monday, a few members of KellyMitchell’s shared services team rolled up their sleeves and helped weed, trench, and plant 70lbs of potatoes for Gateway Greening. Gateway Greening is a St. Louis nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering people to strengthen their communities through gardening and urban agriculture.
KellyMitchell’s St. Louis Volunteering Committee found Gateway Greening through St. Louis University’s Center for Service and Community Engagement. The team was searching for one-time volunteering opportunities and thought Gateway Greening was a great organization that not only helps other local charities and communities, but individuals suffering from mental illness and homelessness. “They allow folks the opportunity to harvest their energy into gardening, an activity that then gives back to the community around them. Gateway Greening donates food grown in the gardens to local food banks,” said Committee member Kayla Hatfield.
While KellyMitchell supports the United Way as its company-wide charity of choice, employees expressed interest in one-off opportunities individual employees could get involved in at a local level. As a result, KellyMitchell’s St. Louis Volunteering Committee was formed to seek out and organize smaller, local outings on a quarterly basis. “It’s a way for us to give back as a company and it’s great team building/bonding experience,” said Committee member Gretchen Wiesemann.
The group enjoyed the experience at Gateway Greening and look forward to spreading the word about the organization and how it benefits many St. Louis communities.
