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Employees unite and participate in a university-wide effort giving back to our larger community

The fifth annual Cardinal at Work Cares: Giving back to our communities campaign showcases how employees are continually contributing to making a positive difference in the lives of others.

This year, faculty and staff celebrated generosity and the spirit of service by participating in more than 1,110 acts of  kindness during the Cardinal at Work Cares: Giving back to our communities campaign. From handing out prepared dinners, donating bikes, paying rent for local families in need, to putting together hygiene kits for the homeless, our community found ways to make a positive difference, which is especially critical during these times. 

The annual university-wide Cardinal at Work Cares campaign in November encouraged employees to unite during a time when many members of our communities are in need. This year, due to health orders related to COVID-19, an in-person donation drive was not held; instead, employees were encouraged to contribute and share compassionate acts of kindness from wherever they are to show the breadth of our collective efforts and to inspire others to commit to their communities. 

No matter how big or small an act is or what time of year it is, we encourage you to continue to spread kindness in your communities. You can view a list of organizations and ideas of how you can get involved on the Cardinal at Work website. Here are just some of the ways that we participated in November! 

Teaching and learning

Photo courtesy of Mona Hartmann

I support Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) by building / assembling STEM Educational kits (at home). STEM Educational kits are distributed by RAFT to teachers/students for STEM learning.  Mona Hartmann

I serve on my local school board and we are focused not only in returning our students safely to school but also in ensuring that we have a robust anti-racism curriculum in our schools and a focus on equity for all students.  Anonymous 

Due to the pandemic, students are needing support for school online. I am volunteering with the 10,000 Degrees program for underrepresented students to provide virtual tutoring to students.  Vanessa Nava

Bought textbooks for a volunteer program teaching English to adult English learners.  Anonymous

I am giving drum lessons to an 11 year old boy over Zoom for free in the Menlo Park community.  Gary Gutfeld

I am a reading buddy to a 2nd grader at Beechwood School in East Menlo Park. We meet weekly for 30 minutes over Zoom and take turns reading from the same book. –Sue Schmitt

I have been volunteering by tutoring a low income 9 year old boy whose parents are refugees. He has been struggling to learn to read. We do about 45 minutes every day via Zoom and he is progressing very rapidly. He is adorable and the sessions are the highlight of my day!  Fin O’Hara

Helping neighbors

Photo courtesy of Kim Sands

We created a Thank You fence in our neighborhood. All the kids wrote who and what they were thankful for. Our delivery people that come into our court (there are a lot) and all of us are thankful for each other. It is a daily reminder that we all need to thank each other every day.  Kim Sands

I bought our neighborhood postal worker a ‘thank you for all that you do’ pie!  Anonymous

My 90 year old neighbor lives alone with just occasional visits from family.  I recently made extra chili in my slow cooker so that I could take some to her in a large mason jar with a side of fresh hot cornbread.  When I dropped it off, we had a socially distanced chat in her front yard and she was clearly very pleased. It was such a simple thing for me to do, but mattered a great deal to her.  Jennifer Dirking

I’ve been driving my elderly neighbor to visit his wife once a week. She is in rehab after a fall. I also helped them get a phone so they can call each otherDenise Larsen

I have a yard and live next to a small apartment building. During Covid, I’ve been working from home, and the half dozen young neighbor kids have been schooling from home. They don’t have much indoor space, let alone outdoor space to play. After a couple months of hearing them, I told them to come on over in the late afternoons and use the yard. These afternoons have given us all some joy and release.  Anonymous

Photo courtesy of Gina Heninger

An elderly lady at a mobile home park has been collecting potted plants outside her home, taking up space on other people’s property. The park manager told her she would have to move her plants, so another lady at the park decided to set up a space near her own home to put the plants. I made a custom sign for the new “garden” so that everyone would know whose it is. She was so grateful.  Gina Heninger

When I commute I bike close to the house of a person who had a stroke when middle age; he lives by himself and is in a wheelchair. One big tree branch had broken in his front yard. I offered a couple of times to come with my chainsaw to take care of it and he always refused. The other day I was on my bike and saw him; offered again, this time he said yes. I had to go twice before we could identify an electric plug that could work. I spent a couple of hours cutting the branch with the chainsaw, but also listening to him as he just talked and talked and talked.  Vannina Champenois

I helped an older man who was walking in the rain with his walker and no umbrella. I stopped, gave him an umbrella then took him home so he won’t get sick in the rain. His house was about a mile from where I saw him.  Rosary David

Caring for animals

Photo courtesy of Susie Gilbert

In the last few weeks, I found an abandoned, starving cat in my neighborhood. I started feeding him every evening while I tried to find a fostering situation where he could get the long-term care he deserves. Thanks to the kindness and goodness of many people, he’s now being given the love and care he deserves.  M. Morgan

I adopted a ewe at a local sheep farm that I have been buying from for years and that has been struggling during COVID.  Matthew Tiews

I recently read about the need for clean mascara wands for  wildlife rehab organizations. The wands are used to clean oil, dirt, etc. from the fragile feathers of birds brought to their facilities. I mailed 5 wands, 2 to one facility and 3 to another, along with a note of thanks for their work. –Susan Dorman

Photo courtesy of Susie Gilbert

I made blankets and donated to our local animal shelter.  Taylor Clarke

About a month ago, I met a neighbor while on a walk with my new puppy and we have been letting our dogs have some play dates. I haven’t seen her for several weeks and just found out that her husband has been in the hospital. I offered to take care of her dog at any time so that she doesn’t have to keep putting her in doggy day care.  Susie Gilbert

I walk my neighbor’s dog following the death of her husband from Covid and the departure of her only son for college. It is also a good excuse to check in on her and see how she is doing as she copes with the stress of teaching math and art to elementary school students via Zoom. She is the one I am grateful for as I hear about the challenges she faces in working with the families to maintain some kind of learning environment for their children.  Lucy Herman

I found out my hairdresser needed to put her dog down, so I made her salt dough so she could make a paw print ornament out of it.  Anonymous

Went out in search of a lost dog near our home and found that there was also a search of a lost cat.  The dog was found by another party and was brought home safely. We are still keeping an eye out for the lost cat.  Patty Sobin

Distributing meals and groceries 

Photo courtesy of Stanford Sports Medicine team

Several members of the Sports Medicine staff within Athletics volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club in Redwood City plating and distributing free hot dinners to members of the community in need.  Stanford Sports Medicine team

I delivered meals and home made cookies for Front-liners at Stanford Hospital and LPCH. –Jennifer Real

I volunteer with Peninsula Food Runners each week to transport food from restaurants, bakeries and other establishments to those in need.  Zac Sargeant

I made calls to the elderly in my community to check in on them, helped buy groceries/ran errands for some since they are at risk.  Mona Alpas

A few months into Shelter-in-Place, my school alerted me of a family with very young kids whose primary care-taker was furloughed and their elderly parent was recovering for COVID. They needed help with basic shopping and other items for their kids. I dropped off groceries at their home so they wouldn’t have to leave the house.  Jodie Carian

Donating and making face masks

Photo courtesy of Maggie Loera

I collect bags, face masks and hand sanitizer from neighbors and Stanford affiliates for Ecumenical Hunger Program, Ravenswood Family Health Clinic, Retraining the Village, and WeHOPE, all in East Palo Alto  Peggy Prop

I sewed 142 face masks for Valley Medical Hospital and family and friends when there were none available.  Maggie Loera

A friend was experiencing soreness on his ears due to wearing a mask all day, so I crocheted several “ear savers” and mailed them to him. He then shared a few with another friend of ours who lives near him.  Dinah Rojas

 

Helping the environment and community clean-up

I organized a beach cleanup yesterday (“Hallow-clean weekend” so we cleaned in costume lol) during which we picked up countless bags of trash to keep them from being swept into the ocean.  Roshni Mehra

I carry a plastic bag when walking outside so I can pick up masks that people have dropped.  Anonymous 

Instead of listening to election news, we walked around the neighborhood picking up trash each morning. In these divisive times, it feels good to do something for everyone. The warm greetings and gratitude from our neighbors reminds me that our political views are only a small part of our shared humanity.  Corrie Engelson

I started doing virtual challenges: walked the Camino Santiago, Swam the English Channel, Hiked the Grand Canyon and Ring of Kerry over the Quarantine via MyVirtualChallenge.com.  For each milestone of 20/40/60/80/100% completion, a tree was planted to offset carbon footprint.  So far I have planted 20 trees.  —Donna Williams

Supporting others’ emotional and mental health 

Photo courtesy of Dominique Del Chiaro

My hula sisters and I volunteered to dance and share aloha for the Adult Day Health Center at their Halloween celebration. Many of the clients have not been able to be in a group setting because of COVID-19, so they were thrilled with the outdoor event that honored them. Sharing love through dance and acts of kindness is so essential now. We have also video recorded hulas that we danced for families who have just lost a loved one. We send them the recording and a lovely message of concern, love and support. We feel blessed to have this gift of aloha to share during a time when the world so desperately needs it.  Dominique Del Chiaro

For several hours per week, I volunteer for the Crisis Text Line – a service that provides free, 24/7 mental health support via text message or online.  Anonymous

I am working on a love quilt for a colleague who is battling cancer. I also ask coworkers to contribute by sending love messages and transcribe their letters and piece them on the quilt.  Elizabeth Low

I’m hosting weekly trainings to help postdocs build resilience and better cope with stress.  Antoine de Morree

I organized and facilitated a support group over Zoom for women with ADHD and autism who need help and encouragement getting household tasks done.  Anonymous

Finding creative ways to donate

Photo courtesy of Katie Pandes

During the pandemic, as a nursing mother, I built up a supply of breast milk for my little one and was not able to use it. I donated over 100oz to the Mother’s Milk Bank of San Jose. It felt great to be able to provide such a valuable resource to NICU patients.  Adrienne Neal

Rehabbed and donated 10 American Girl dolls + clothing and accessories to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of San Mateo for the foster children they serve.  Katie Pandes

Paid for a solar generator for a local family with school age kids living in an RV with no electricity.  Anonymous

2020 Cardinal at Work Cares Photo Gallery