| Thankful for the community that supports VIP, we balance our hours at the office by volunteering our time and resources in the communities where we work and live. Our Community Support program includes VIP Women in Technology Scholarships (WITS) as well as other generous contributions given to our local charities and humanitarian organizations as follows:
- VIP Women in Technology Scholarship (WITS) Program
- 15 $1,000 Scholarships
- Eligible: Women applying for or currently enrolled in a technology program at a four-year university
- Criteria: (1) GPA, (2) Community Service, (3) Essay Question
- Awards: Based on merit.
- Available wherever VIP has offices in the United States. These locations include the metropolitan areas of Sacramento, Washington DC, Houston, New York City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Denver.
- VIP Humanitarian Activity Program
- Every office undertakes a humanitarian activity of its own choice
- VIP Local Charities Program
While difficult to decide from so many deserving organizations, VIP has committed time and financial assistance to the following groups:
Chicks in Crisis
Chicks in Crisis is a charity dedicated to educate, encourage, empower and assist women with children in crisis situations. They provide emergency assistance and work to decrease infant abandonment and child neglect. VIP donated $1,000 and participated in the annual "Save the Dave" event at the California State Fair.
The Greenhouse (formerly Project Greenhouse)
The Greenhouse is a new nonprofit organization that has been formed to reach out to a low-income area in South Natomas/North Sacramento. This area is heavily populated with children and most of the homes are single-parent homes with very few resources. VIP refurbished and donated seven used computers to the center for kids to use. VIP also made a cash donation of $1,000.
Hands On DC
Hands On DC is a non-profit that each year, gathers hundreds of volunteers and targets several schools in the DC area in need of repair, a good cleaning, or a thick coat of paint. VIP provided cash assistance for the second year in a row.
Happy Tails
Happy Tails was founded by a group of volunteers committed to a common goal - to establish a safe haven for homeless, abandoned, and abused animals in Sacramento. The organization provides a variety of services to economically disadvantaged pet owners including: temporary foster care; veterinary care; and a spay/neuter program. This year, the charity committee has sponsored Elaine Killam and her beloved pet cats. Elaine is 82 years of age and a volunteer at Happy Tails. She lives solely on her social security and doesn't have money for extra care that her pets need. The funds donated by VIP will pay for her cats' veterinary care.
Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort
VIP delivered 1,000 Health Kits to the hardest hit areas of Louisiana and Mississippi in support of the hurricane Katrina Relief Effort. VIP's employees rallied together in each of VIP's offices to assemble kits for this needy cause. VIP also offered its employees a variety of options that include taking time off to assist with the relief efforts, donating paid time off, and making tax deductible contributions to organizations of their choice.
VIP also developed a web-based application to simplify the moving process for families displaced by the disaster. The application provides a simplified interface to verify tenant information real time against a housing inventory management system that VIP operates and maintains for a large, national comunity development organization.
Komen Race for the Cure
The Komen Race for the Cure is the largest series of 5K runs and fitness walks in the world, and is open to everyone who wants to help in the fight against breast cancer. Since its origination in 1983, this race has grown from one local race with 800 participants to a national series of 113 races with more than 1.5 million participants. Proceeds fund global research efforts and local breast health and breast cancer outreach programs. Several VIP employees and their family members participated in the event. Overall, we raised about $1,600 for the cause.
Mustard Seed School
Mustard Seed School was established in February 1989 to help meet the needs of homeless children. Many school age children do not attend school because of their homelessness. Some lack immunizations, birth certificates, or other documents; some are in transit; and almost all lack a support system. In spite of their situations, these children are eager to learn and be accepted. Mustard Seed is a free private school, which serves homeless children, ages 3-15 years old. Within a structured academic program, children can laugh, relax and be children. They can unplug from the stressful world of homelessness. Each child feels wanted, secure and loved. Mustard Seed is also a place where these disconnected children can find hope for their lives. VIP provides Christmas gifts every year to these less fortunate children in hopes of bringing a little more happiness to their lives.
Stanford Home for Children
Stanford Home for Children leads our community in providing alternatives to institutional care for youth: the best solution to supporting families in turmoil. Through family centered practices, we connect and strengthen families, so that every child can thrive. Stanford Home envisions a community where every youth is safe, healthy, self-sufficient and connected with family. The best place for a child is with safe, biological family, not in long term group homes, revolving door foster care, or jail, and the research proves it: Kids in Stanford Home’s family-centered practice experience a radical drop in dangerous and severe misbehaviors and more than two-thirds of kids in our programs reestablish vital connections to family and community. Stanford Home for Children is Sacramento’s leading provider of connecting kids to safe family, serving more than 1,800 children and family members each year.
St. John's Shelter for Women and Families
The St. John's Shelter for Women and Families was established to provide housing for up to 30 days for women and their children that are going through rough times to have a place to get back on their feet. The shelter also provides food that is funded and served by volunteers. VIP has now sponsored the shelter and will be assisting once a month with a meal for 100 people that is purchased, cooked, and served by VIP staff.
Wellspring Women's Center
Wellspring Women's Center was established in 1987 and is a drop-in center located in the Oak Park community of Sacramento that services nearly 175 women and their children daily. Staff and volunteers are committed to providing a safe, caring, drug-free and warm environment where poor women can come with their children for some respite from the burdens of poverty. VIP has a long history of participation in the annual Wellspring Swing golf tournament. And this year, we had a great showing. Eight golfers, with the combined support of the Charity Committee, the Team Building Committee, and other VIP employees, were able to raise over $2,000 for Wellspring, which made us one of the biggest single corporate sponsors.
Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE)
WEAVE helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault reduce trauma, promote recovery and improve self-esteem, while advocating community education to change the beliefs that condone and perpetuate violence in the Sacramento community. "Suited 4 Success" is a program that provides eligible welfare-to-work and WEAVE clients with a wardrobe consultation, an interview outfit and coordinates for work. In 2003, VIP coordinated a collection of women's suits to contribute in support of WEAVE's program. More than 20 large bags of women's clothes were collected and donated.
Youth Service America
Youth Service America is a resource center that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people, ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. Their mission is to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields.
VIP supported six National Youth Service Day (NYSD) projects in New Mexico including: Trike-a-thon, GYLS: Teaching Middle School Students about Different Cultures, Operation: Clean Up!, STOP the Violence Exposition, Arts Reach, and fundraising for Tsunami-affected people in Sri Lanka. |
