Giving Back is a Big Ingredient
Every year since 2001, we’ve been collectively donating at least 2,080 hours to our favorite causes. Why 2,080? That’s how many hours one full-time employee works in a year.
It’s nice to get outside, but the real reward is giving back to our community. Here are some true Project 2080 stories from our co-workers.
by Thao, Director of Human Resources
Why did you choose to give your time to Habitat for Humanity?
I like the idea of providing affordable housing to low-income families who are trying to make it. I personally like real estate, so that’s also an appeal for me.
Describe a day working for Habitat for Humanity.
The day starts with a safety orientation from 8:30 – 9:15, and then you work till lunch. From 3:30 to 4:15, you clean up and finish the day at 4:30. At the end you’re thinking, ‘What I do at the office is nothing compared to this.’
Do you have to have fundamental carpentry skills?
Not at all — I was surprised by that. They show you what to do and you go out and do it.
Describe a project you’ve done.
We’ve done exterior painting where we had to put the scaffolding together. In the morning we came in and saw overgrown grass in the yard and debris. Leslie Abraham went home and got her weed whacker. By the end we cleared it all up and did the painting and the weeding.
What feelings do you have after a day of doing that kind of work?
That I love Clif Bar. It’s quite fulfilling and humbling. You know that you took part in helping someone. So, for me, it’s not about what we give back to the community, it’s what you get in return that’s invaluable. It puts your life in perspective.
What’s it like doing something completely different with people you see day in and day out?
That’s the incredible piece that I think we might overlook. When we’re at work, we talk to each other about work-related stuff. When we’re working offsite, we joke around while we’re working and get to know each other on a personal level. So, afterwards, there’s an appreciation for who we are and all the other skills that we didn’t know that we all possess. Within the company, it creates this support network, because it’s just not about work anymore. That’s my take on it, anyway. I always learn something new about everyone.
by Grady and Cristen
Grady and Cristen—Gdansk-ing in Poland
Back in September 2005, three CLIF Bar employees traveled to Eastern Europe—Gdansk Poland to be exact—to build houses and a community with Habitat for Humanity. The chosen CLIF Crew, consisting of a hula-hooping Finance queen, a running Marketing maverick, and an Internet really nice guy, was there for two weeks, working diligently to install steel-door frames, sheetrock, and drywall so twelve deserving Polish families could have a place to call their own. But to get the real deal, the down and dirty (pun intended) juice of the matter, you’ve got to hear it straight from the workers themselves.
What motivated you to apply to the 2080 program in Poland?
GRADY: There’s not much I enjoy more than traveling. Nothing quite compares to getting out and exploring a new area—something completely foreign to all of your senses. The opportunity to combine that passion with the interest and appreciation I’ve developed for community service here at Clif Bar was a no-brainer. Add to all that, the chance to come together with a bunch of strangers from around the world to work toward a common goal—one that would positively impact others in a “concrete” way—sounded pretty appealing.
CRISTEN: My commitment to charity work began at a young age when my grandparents left the US for three years and went on a missionary assignment with the Catholic Church to Papua New Guinea. The passion and experiences they shared with me is something that I will never forget; they’ve inspired me throughout my life, especially sparking interest in this Clif Bar H4H program.
What exactly were you doing in Poland?
GRADY: We were brought together to work on a multi-family home in a little suburb town called Pruscz Gdansk—a 15-minute ride outside of Gdansk, Poland. The unit had two halves. One half, a 6-unit family home, was completed and had tenants already. We worked on finishing the other half, another 6-unit building essentially the same as the first.
CRISTEN: During the day, we put up drywall, taped, plastered, sanded, and installed insulation. We worked from 8am to 5pm, three days on and one day off. The schedule was pretty rigorous; the long work days definitely insured a sound sleep every night. It was different from sitting in a desk 8-9 hours a day. My body was physically exhausted.
GRADY: Using traditional Polish techniques, we applied and leveled walls, put up ceilings, sealed and sanded seams. Basically, we covered all existing concrete surfaces (except the floors) with drywall. When we were done, it was up to the families to finish their homes by cleaning them up, adding floors, painting etc.
Who did you work with? Did you get a chance to meet any of the families?
GRADY: Five teams of H4H volunteers had worked on this unfinished half prior to our arrival. Ours, the final group, included fifteen people from the US and Canada.
CRISTEN: The families were required to work onsite to help build their future home. Getting to know them was one of the most amazing parts of the trip. We worked hand in hand with them on the site and had a chance to hang-out with them during the evening. The families even invited us for a traditional home-cooked Polish meal.
GRADY: Working with the families made the entire experience much more personal and gratifying. At the end of the build, our departure was pretty emotional. Watching the kids run into their future rooms was pretty cool. That’s something that will stick with all of us.
Was this the first time you’ve ever participated in an H4H project?
GRADY: I’ve worked on a couple other domestic projects but nothing more than one day at a time. The experience in Poland was completely different. First of all, it was in a different country—different customs, a different language, different building materials. I was also staying with and working with a bunch of people I didn’t really know. When we started, we knew we would have the time to contribute quite a bit.
Did you bring any Clif Bars with you?
GRADY: Clif Bars were plentiful at the job site. The other workers became ambassadors for Clif by the time we were done!
How did your time in Poland supplement and enhance your work back here at the office?
GRADY: I speak fluent Polish now—which makes meetings run much more smoothly. Beyond that, I’ve developed an even greater appreciation for the importance and significance of what we’re doing here—of why this place is so amazing and why it’s so unique. I’ve gained a little perspective on what’s happening here and why it’s so important for us to serve as an example for others—both in the corporate world and to our consumers. We hold a unique platform and, if done correctly, we can influence plenty of people through our social and environmental actions. That’s something I’m proud to be a part of.
Check out the blog that the CLIF team kept to keep all of us here at the office up to date on their journey abroad.
by Caron - 2080 sprite
What was the inspiration behind choosing the neighboring Double Rock and Candlestick Community Gardens for our company-wide CS day?
We’re a food company. It’s our responsibility to improve the food system, locally and globally, to the best of our ability. The Double Rock Community Garden, Candlestick Community Garden and the Plants Gone Wild Native Nursery are in an area of San Francisco where produce is difficult to find. We need to help make fresh food available.
As supporters of the Brower Youth Awards, we wanted to involve 2005 recipient, La Constance Shahid and her Plants Gone Wild Native Nursery project. Being able to collaborate with the Brower Youth Awards, Friends of the Urban Forest, Bay Area Wilderness Trainers and the Double Rock community proved to be a way to combine forces to create something larger than what we could have done on our own. Also, as a growing company, we want to make sure that all of us internally know what our neighbors, just a few desks away, are up to.
Describe a few of the tasks that folks did?
We did everything from pulling weeds out of the strawberry beds, to planting 32 fruit trees. We laid down wood chips, built 20ft wooden, garden bed frames and tilled soil. It was a day of sweating and working together.
What’s the meaning behind company-wide Community Service day?
The day’s about hanging out together and recognizing what a difference a bunch of hard workers can accomplish in just a day. It’s important to realize there’s more out there than just selling bars. Getting out of the office to work in the community opens your eyes to what sorts of things can be done and what still needs to be done.
How did it feel to see all of our co-workers coming together?
Seeing over 100 blistered, sweaty, dirty people lined up at the hot dog cart and taco truck, sitting on the curb, smiling in the sun was a sight to see. The best part—the part that made me tingle with joy—was when we had to physically remove the shovels from one group's hands so they could load the bus. The dedication to the project was amazing to see. Oh yeah, and watching Kevin Cleary, COO, running with a wheelbarrow, motivated by his team’s inspiring owl hoots and Janet “the Diva’s” commands to complete the distribution of woodchips was pretty great. What a day. What a group.
by Tara, Registered Dietician
Participating in Diabetes Camp seems like a natural for you. Is that why you got involved?
I got involved with Diabetes Camp before coming to Clif Bar. I had worked as an intern one year and the head dietician the next year. When I started, I was working at a hospital and either gave my vacation time or took unpaid time to work at the camp.
So Diabetes Camp became a part of 2080 as a natural outgrowth of your participation?
Yeah. When I came to Clif Bar I’d already committed to Diabetes Camp. They agreed to honor it as well as to pay me to go which was amazing! They donated product and water bottles. I took the LUNA and CLIF BARS ‘cause they fit in perfectly with the diabetic meal plan – LUNA, particularly.
What is Diabetes Camp?
It’s actually the Santa Clara Diabetes Society. They have a large camp system including nine summer camps. They have a hard time getting volunteers at their original camp, Camp de los Ninos, ages six to thirteen. It’s located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Are the kids coming to the camp because they’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes?
Some kids have just been diagnosed and some are in the honeymoon period, where they don’t have full-blown diabetes yet but will very soon. Other kids have had diabetes for several years and can control their own medication and food. It’s a place where they can learn, but it’s also about having fun. This is probably the one time of year where they’re with kids like them. .
What is your role as a volunteer?
Now that I’ve been there a few years, I function as the Director of Nutrition at Camp de los Ninos. I do a lot of diabetes nutrition education with the kids, as well as help to plan the meals and snacks. Kids with diabetes need to eat every two hours, so it’s my job and my intern’s job is to make sure the food is out, whether it’s a meal or a snack.
I’m involved not just in the nutrition aspect but also in the goings-on. If there are problems with kids, a lot of times it does come down to food and their health. If they’re having blood sugar issues, it upsets the kids – especially at such a young age – and that comes back to the food and they bring in the dietician. So, you deal a lot with the kids one on one.
What do you like best about the 2080 Program?
I can work at the camp without feeling any pressure. Also, if you have got a particular place where you are compelled to do community service, you can bring that to Clif Bar and introduce it to the 2080 program, which is fantastic because you’re able to bring more resources to something you volunteer to.
