Orange Week: Talent Development Visits Boys Town
- Jun 9, 2017
- 3 min read
In honor of Embrace's 34th anniversary, the Talent Development Team spent a wonderful afternoon at Boys Town New England in Portsmouth, RI. With the goal of "Healing Children, Saving Families," Boys Town provides specialized services to at-risk children and families throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. During our visit, we did a little gardening, played a little basketball, and took some time to learn more about the incredible work Boys Town professionals do to make a difference in their communities. With programs ranging from in-home family services, treatment-level foster care, and residential services, to evidence-based parenting classes and a family visitation program, Boys Town does it all. I speak for the entire Talent Development team when I say that it was truly a privilege to serve this incredible organization in our own small way during Orange Week 2017.
Eager to get our hands dirty, our team's task for the afternoon was to beautify the Peace Garden located just outside the main office building. Designed to provide a sense of tranquility to those seeking refuge, the Peace Garden is a favorite space for therapy sessions between Boys Town counselors and clients; many of whom live on the campus in residential homes. As a team, we quickly set about pulling weeds (and carefully avoiding a few unruly patches of poison ivy!).
Once satisfied with our cleanup efforts, we installed a few well-placed, brightly colored plants. By the time we were done, we were covered in sweat and dirt, but quite pleased (and perhaps pleasantly surprised) with the end-result of our handiwork. In a few weeks, a couple of brand-new benches will replace the old, worn-out ones to really breathe new life into the garden and tie it all together.
Gardening proved to be an excellent team-building exercise for us; many hands make light work, after all! While sharing laughs and trading stories, it was awesome to see just how well we communicated with one another to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Collaboration is key in Talent Development, and this simple project illustrated who we are as a team, and what we can achieve together when we are performing at our highest level. When united towards a common goal, the possibilities are endless.
Perhaps the highlight of our afternoon, however, was getting to play basketball with a few of the residential teens after we finished gardening. We quickly realized that these young men, although from varying backgrounds, aren't so different from the average teenager at all. The challenges they confront may not exactly be run-of-the-mill, but their desire for acceptance and understanding is not unlike any other young person’s.
We were thrilled to see that the kids lit up at the opportunity to shoot hoops with us! Not far into our first game, we found that these young men had a real knack for the sport. We did our best to keep up; and I have to admit, I was impressed by how well we held our own even though youth isn't exactly on our side. These fifteen and sixteen year-olds had boundless energy! We played our hearts out for about an hour-and-a-half before the heat of the day started to get to us. After shaking hands once more and saying our goodbyes, we headed out; but not before reflecting on our afternoon at Boys Town.
Spending time with the employees and youth at Boys Town was a very humbling, grounding experience, but we were grateful to have been able to volunteer and mentor for the afternoon; hopefully making a meaningful difference in some small way. We were at once reminded of both how incredibly fortunate we are, and that given the tools and resources at our disposal, we are responsible as citizens of the world to use our platform to do good.
It is helpful to be reminded every once in a while to refer back to the "bigger picture" of what it's all about, and why we do what we do personally and professionally. Volunteering at Boys Town provided just that reminder, and felt like the perfect way to honor Embrace during our annual Orange Week celebration. At the end of the day, who we are and what we do as a brand reflects on each of us at the individual level and vice-versa. Being a positive contributor to something greater than ourselves and this company is vital to our mission at Embrace Home Loans.
The Talent Development Team would especially like to thank Boys Town Development's Ashley Medeiros and Amanda Baker for being such gracious hosts during our visit. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Boys Town in the months and years to come.
If you are interested in learning more about Boys Town New England and how you might contribute, please contact Development Director Ashley Medeiros or Development Coordinator Amanda Baker at 401.845.2250.
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