“Care” may be a simple word, but its impact is anything but ordinary. By definition, it means to “feel concern or interest” or to “attach importance to something.” But when brought to life, care transforms into something far greater than that.
It looks like sorting fresh vegetables to fill a family’s table, cleaning litter from our beaches to protect the environment, or mentoring children at camp to inspire the next generation. At Vertical IQ, care takes many forms, but its essence remains the same: giving a part of ourselves back to the community and causes we hold dear. This spirit is the heart of our VIQcares program.
“Kicking off” our year with a bang
It’s always meaningful when our team members share the causes they care deeply about, but taking it a step further and serving together is truly special! As part of our 2024 company kickoff meeting in February, we had the incredible opportunity to include a group service project in our time together. One thing’s for sure: If you’ve never sorted potatoes and cabbage alongside your colleagues, you’re missing out!
The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina graciously welcomed us, and we had an amazing afternoon sorting and packing produce for families in the Wake County area. By the end of the day, our team had sorted enough food to provide 16,000 meals — roughly 20,000 pounds of produce! We left the food bank with full hearts, a sense of pride, and maybe a little dirt up our noses. It was, without a doubt, one of the most memorable and cherished moments of our team’s week together.
2024 impact
Charitable organizations can always benefit from tangible donations, but often what they truly need is time! Through the VIQcares program, every employee receives paid time off to volunteer for a cause they hold dear — a benefit many of our team members embraced in 2024. Below, you’ll see some of our employees in action, giving back to their communities over the past year.
- As mentioned, our entire Vertical IQ team helped to sort and package produce for the Raleigh Branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
- Our backend software developer, Kinnari Shah, volunteered with Open Hand Atlanta, which provides meals and nutritional education to those with chronic diseases.
- Our VP of sales and partnerships, Paul Hock, volunteered with Refugee Hope Partners and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) to help lead a soccer camp for local youth groups.
- Our team (pictured left to right, Bobby Martin, Jacob Dougherty, David Buffaloe, Ken Taylor, and [not pictured] Paul Hock) participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Mike Stainback Memorial Golf Tournament.
- Our Wilmington-based team, (pictured left to right, Kimberly McCauley, Amy Short, Christy Clement, and Susan Bell) picked up several pounds of garbage at Wrightsville Beach from Beach Access 12 to Johnny Mercer’s Pier.
- With the help of VIQcares, our president, David Buffaloe, his wife, Ellen, were able to sponsor a table at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Gala in honor of their son Marshall, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2021. The Buffaloe family served as volunteers at the gala, which raised over $2 million to find a cure.
- Our VP of customer success and marketing specialist, Sophia Gilbert, volunteered at the 2024 North Carolina DECA District 3 Marketing Competitive Events Conference.
- Our customer success manager, Ruth Keyes, and her family served with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief group in Watauga County, N.C., to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
- Austin-based research team members (pictured left to right, Linnea Kirgan, Alex Bangs, and James Bryant) helped to serve 300+ lunches at Caritas Austin whose mission is to end homelessness in Austin, Texas.
- Our integrated marketing manager, Brin Sullivan, served with a group at Matthews Help Center on a campus beautification project.
- Our chief of sales, Susan Bell, is a PORCH leader and spearheads the collection of donations in her neighborhood to fight hunger and food insecurity through neighbors helping neighbors.
- Our marketing specialist, Sophia Gilbert, helped to clear debris in her community following the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
- And my wife, Julz, and I recently served with Biltmore Church, to support Hurricane Helene Relief efforts. Earlier this year, I also helped to lead the church’s Easter beautification project and the Student Ministry summer camp.
Coming together in the wake of Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene was a storm that those in the Southeast won’t soon forget. Many are still grappling with its lasting effects, and for our team, the devastation hit close to home. Several of our team members are proud alumni of Appalachian State University and have strong ties to western North Carolina (WNC), a region that has been deeply affected by this disaster. As a fellow App State Mountaineer and a resident of Hendersonville, just outside Asheville, I’ve witnessed firsthand the storm’s impact on our community.
Amid the destruction, I’ve also seen incredible resilience and kindness. Julz and I have been actively involved in the on-the-ground relief efforts, witnessing neighbors and strangers alike coming together to lend a hand. People from across the Southeast and beyond have shown up to help however they can, and it means the world.
We’re also very fortunate to have VIQcares funds dedicated specifically to catastrophic events like this. Along with matching employee donations to WNC, Vertical IQ allocated our annual Giving Tuesday fund to WNC Strong, an organization dedicated to revitalizing the western North Carolina community by providing essential resources to local businesses affected by Hurricane Helene.
If you or your team is looking to give back this season, we ask that you consider donating to organizations supporting these rebuilding communities, including WNC Strong or the N.C. Disaster Relief Fund.
In addition to supporting western North Carolina’s relief efforts, the VIQcares team allocates funds to support natural disaster recovery efforts across the country. Midwest tornadoes in April and flooding in Brunswick County, N.C., in September were among the causes that benefited from the VIQcares Rapid Response Fund.
Reflecting on the contributions made by the VIQcares program and the Vertical IQ team over the past year, it’s evident that every effort creates a meaningful difference. I’m truly grateful to be part of a company where community service is a core value, and it’s inspiring to see our employees passionately stepping up to give back. Here’s to carrying forward our dedication to service and making a positive impact, both inside and outside the office, in 2024 and beyond.