Timberland Unites Around the World to Serve the Elderly
Service knows no age or boundaries at Timberland, the global outdoor lifestyle brand with a demonstrated commitment to social responsibility. Employee volunteers, who receive up to 40 paid community service hours each year, are passionate about serving elderly citizens around the world. From Stratham, NH to Hong Kong, Timberland volunteers bring fun and innovative skills-building to the elderly.
Stratham employee volunteers began volunteering at the local assisted living center, Wentworth Home for Assisted Living, since 2015 when they first delivered holiday gifts to residents last December. Timberland volunteers have built friendships with residents and return for group crafting activities and ice cream socials. “The activity may be the reason we get together,” said Ann Caron, Timberland’s compliance manager and repeat volunteer at the Wentworth Home, “but the real fun comes when we share laughs and conversations with the residents. Listening to their stories is really a win-win for both the residents and the volunteers.”
Similarly, Timberland volunteers in Hong Kong also experience the rewards of serving the elderly. Employee volunteers provide smartphone classes at HKAKA, an elderly day care center, to strengthen the connections between the elderly, their families and the community. Timberland Global Steward and event creator, Eric Yung, has taught HKAKA clients to find and add friends on Facebook, share pictures and use apps such as iMessenger and WhatsApp. “Today’s rapidly evolving technology can be intimidating to elderly citizens who feel they can’t keep up,” said Yung. “When a volunteer spends time to educate a senior on how the app or platform can help them stay close with busy family members, they become more empowered and even excited to use it.”
Yung’s efforts have even caught the attention of others who want to get involved. In the next workshop, volunteers from Samsung, a global leader in high-tech electronics manufacturing and digital media, will join Timberland’s volunteers to provide HKAKA clients with a detailed understanding of social media, apps, smartphones, tablets and digital cameras. “Human beings are happier when they are connected,” added Yung. “Serving in this way helps seniors leverage modern technology to keep their connections to friends and family strong.”
Serving the elderly in this fun and rewarding way goes hand in hand with Timberland’s efforts to make it better for its products, the outdoors and communities. From Hong Kong to Stratham, NH, the impact of Timberland’s employee volunteers can be seen by the smiles of the elderly citizens they serve who feel more empowered, connected and enriched.
To learn more about Timberland’s proactive efforts to make a difference in terms of its products, the outdoors and the communities it serves, visit: https://www.timberland.com/responsibility.html.
