Being able to work alongside colleagues to better our local communities is a privilege. To have NETSCOUT’s support of these efforts is an honor and makes us proud to be Guardians of the Connected World. We would like to share some of our stories.
Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Dublin, IE
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has a campus at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains where they care for abused and injured animals. We split into two groups – one worked in the rehabilitation center and the other group helped out in the rehoming shelter. We mucked in and assisted wherever we were needed, from cleaning out the animal crates, exercising and interacting with the dogs to improve their confidence with both humans and other dogs, and dishing out the meals for these beautiful creatures. It was a very satisfying and heart-warming day for all!
Allen Community Outreach, Allen, TX
Seven volunteers spent a Saturday morning at Allen Community Outreach (ACO). After our holiday collection of 755 pounds of food items, gift cards and winter hats, gloves and scarves for ACO, we got to see firsthand how these items make a difference in a family’s life. The ACO is not only a food pantry, but also a place where families can shop for items based on their personal preferences and family size. We helped organize grocery bags, refilled refrigerated items, bagged groceries, and assisted clients with carrying items to their cars.
Megan’s House, Lowell, MA
Our Westford team selected Megan’s House as the recipient of our $10K grant through the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF). They used the funds for their “Growing for Life” program to create a community garden and sitting area for residents. Once a week for a month, we worked alongside residents to plant shrubs and perennials, level and fill the lot with loam, build raised beds and planted seeds for a late crop of vegetables. The residents and staff were so thrilled to see the transformation of their yard they hosted a cookout lunch. All our volunteers, staff from GLCF, along with Megan’s House Board of Directors, staff, and residents joined together to celebrate the new garden – a very nice and unexpected way to end the summer!
Make A Wish New Jersey, Monroe Township, NJ
Guardians in the Marlton NJ office wanted to do something a little different for the holidays: we decided to donate the funds we would have spent on a holiday luncheon to a local charity. We selected Make A Wish New Jersey, an inspiring organization that fulfills “wishes” for children with life-threatening illnesses. We didn’t go hungry, though -- everyone contributed to a festive potluck lunch, and we all enjoyed homemade specialties!
Silver Key Senior Services, Colorado Springs, CO
Eleven of our Guardians in Colorado Springs volunteered at the Silver Key Senior Services Christmas Party, serving senior citizens in our city. This event provides food, entertainment, and gifts to over 385 seniors who might otherwise not have any for the holidays. We enjoyed interacting with the seniors and hearing their stories. One said, “I’ve been coming to this event for years, and you made it the best one yet.”
Sparsha Trust, Bengaluru, IN
In our Bengaluru (Bangalore) office, we have worked with one of the several shelters of Sparsha Trust since 2015. These children need a little extra attention. They come to our office after school, twice a week, and we help with subjects like English, Math, Science, and Hindi. Over the years we developed a strong relationship. We invite the children to our office during Diwali to showcase handmade lamps and visit the children for lunch and a game of cricket!
St. Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, UK
Before the rain one Saturday morning (it is the UK after all!) a team from our Ipswich office headed to St Elizabeth Hospice to help with some gardening work. On arrival we were given a tour of their superb facilities before getting to work! We successfully painted two sheds and the large summer house, sadly the rain came in before we could tackle the children’s summer house. The important thing was in a few short hours our team helped improve the garden for the hospice residents.
Vogel Alcove, Dallas, TX
Several of us from NETSCOUT’s Texas office took some time out of our work day to volunteer with children at Vogel Alcove, a childcare facility for homeless children in Dallas. The children ranged from 6 months to 5 years old, and were eager for attention and one-on-one time. They put us to work playing basketball and hula hoop, blowing bubbles, pushing tricycles, making “cakes” and “spaghetti” in the sandbox, watering the plants around the playground, and building homes for the toy animals! These are special children and a special place. We all left the facility extremely humbled and ready to go back.
Westford Academy, Westford, MA
On a summer weekend, volunteers from NETSCOUT’s headquarters helped build a greenhouse at Westford Academy in support of the school’s STEM programs. The greenhouse was designed by a high school student for his Eagle Scout project. We started with a pit of gravel outlined by a 4x4 pressure treated base, and when we left 4 hours later, the full structure was in place, ready for the Lexan panels. We enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot, including that power drills work so much better in forward mode, how you need to scuff cedar so it can be stained, and how to work cooperatively under the direction of a high-school student.
Wonderfool Productions, Ann Arbor, MI
Each year WonderFool Productions, a nonprofit arts organization, hosts its annual FoolMoon event, a community art gathering and nighttime street fair with displays of homemade luminaries. We were invited to a series of workshops to learn to build luminaries. Our team was up to the challenge and built over 20 luminaries that we were excited to show off at the festival. We enjoyed the opportunity to exercise our creativity and participate in a favorite Ann Arbor event.
Podcestny Mlyn, Brno, CZ
Volunteers from our Brno, Czech Republic office spent a day at a therapeutic community for treating addictions, Podcestny Mlyn, located in an old farmhouse. Working with community members, we helped with harvesting vegetables, caring for the small animals at the farm and chopping wood – and even had a chance to demonstrate our engineering skills when we had to save one lost round hay bale from the slope behind a stream! We brought a super positive mood to the community and members were very open and shared their life stories with us. We wish good luck and strong will to members of the community.
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ann Arbor MI
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor provides a free place to stay for families with children being treated at University of Michigan/CS Mott Hospital. It’s nice that the families can walk right across the street to the hospital. Some of our Ann Arbor team members volunteered to provide a homecooked meal for families staying at the house. We prepared a full taco bar with all the toppings to be shared by the 40 people at the home that evening. We were thrilled and honored to be able to serve these families!
South Sudanese Enrichment for Families, Lincoln MA
To prepare for a month-long art exhibit at a local public library, volunteers worked with South Sudanese Enrichment for Families (SSEF) to display photographs and paintings created in the Kakuma refugee camp depicting the stories of the “Lost Boys” from Sudan. In addition to gaining an appreciation for the intricacies of planning an art show, we had the chance to talk with SSEF staff and members of the South Sudanese community and learn about the issues in South Sudan. SSEF assists South Sudanese adults and their children who have resettled in Massachusetts.
