It’s not every day that all of us go to work knowing that we’ve made a positive impact on the world. In the grind of meeting corporate goals and daily tasks, it’s easy to forget the opportunities available for businesses to make a difference. That’s part of why Extu has found it so rewarding to partner with local charities, including Agape Youth and Family Center in our Atlanta region.
Agape’s mission is to “empower and support underserved families within its community to discover, embrace, and achieve their full potential.” This aligns beautifully with Extu’s own mission to bring brands and resellers together to fulfill the full potential of their channel. We help companies motivate, engage, and empower their channels and workforces. There’s no better way to motivate tomorrow’s professionals than supporting them today.
Our partnership with Agape goes back to 2016, when we began participating in their annual Great Backpack Giveaway event, as well as their Great Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway.
On August 21, Extu’s Atlanta office was pleased to host Agape’s CEO, Nell Benn, and Chief Development Officer, Danielle Boyd. We wanted to introduce new employees to Agape and their purpose, while getting hands-on to contribute.
Learning and Giving
During their visit, Nell and Danielle shared insights into Agape’s mission and recent accomplishments. As Danielle put it, Agape’s vision is “to end the cycle of generational poverty one child, one family at a time.”
The Extu team learned how Agape supports children from six Atlanta public schools with year-round, after-school, and summer camp programming. Their year-round school support includes free and reduced lunches along with in-school tutoring, as well as access to after-school facilities with additional snacks and educational support.
“We do enrichment programming,” Danielle said, “and then we feed every student a nutritious meal before we take them back to their homes on our buses every day.”
Agape recognizes that the struggles for Atlanta’s underserved communities don’t stop at school. To address that need, they developed the Navigate Program, which just launched in August, to support graduates aged 19-24 as they transition into adulthood. Agape helps them set and achieve goals, earn a livable wage, and become successful citizens.
The Care Package Parade
The highlight of our day together was packing 50 care packages filled with school supplies for children heading back to school. The Extu Cares team gathered all the essentials they could pack into each container, like binders and notebooks as well as some fun items including scrunchies, socks, and blankets. It was a tangible way for us to contribute to Agape’s mission and support the community.
Opportunities for Involvement
Nell and Danielle highlighted numerous volunteer opportunities available for Extu employees and anyone around Atlanta. Whether it’s serving a meal, reading to a kindergartner, or participating in Agape’s new Navigate program for young adults, there are many ways to get involved.
Thank you to Nell Benn, Danielle Boyd, and the Agape team in Atlanta for their unwavering dedication, and for inspiring the Extu team! Together, we can help children achieve their full potential and create a brighter future.
