Last year we established our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, Appfire Town — The Global Town with Heart and Soul — and since then we’ve been busy!
For those who might not be familiar with the initiative, Appfire Town is a virtual town where everyone at Appfire, in the Atlassian ecosystem, and beyond — including friends and family — is invited to become a “neighbor” and to come together to generate a strong social impact in our local and global communities while sharing opportunities, news, and updates tied to volunteerism and giving.
We built Appfire Town to harness the power that comes from being part of a community. In small towns, there is such a great sense of camaraderie and support, and we wanted to replicate that for our employees, customers, partners, family, and friends. Our “town” has centers just like a real town — an arts center, health center, emergency center, and more — meant to get people thinking about different areas that require support and to help us effectively address our global community’s varying needs.
As with any town, ours is constantly evolving. In September, we implemented Benevity to manage volunteer opportunities and donations. This platform also helps us manage our “currency” and incentive program, through which neighbors can earn funds towards their causes by reporting their volunteer work.
Beyond that, over the past six months, our neighbors around the world have participated in a wide range of initiatives, all of which were initiated by individuals:
- We hosted a “Resilience and Empathy” music festival in Argentina to support International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
- We continued to support citizens of Ukraine by organizing supplies for children and transportation for families.
- Our team members participated in Adrenaline Therapy Sessions with Warfighter Made, a program that supports veterans and their families.
- A group traveled to Atitlan, Guatemala, for service projects at a hospital and local schools.
- Another group visited Moshi, Tanzania and Cambodia to assist orphans and to improve their facilities. We also supplied a generator to an orphanage in Moshi so students could continue with computer classes after losing power (and donated 11 generators to families in Ukraine).
- Our volunteers mentored high school students during a “CEO for the day” program with SuitUp.
- We supported the Athletes Without Limits tennis team at the national championship in Argentina.
- We co-organized a knowledge-sharing experience with Atlassian Community leaders in South America, with events held in Buenos Aires and Cordoba, Argentina, and in Santiago, Chile.
And there is so much more to come from Appfire Town. This year, in addition to supporting individuals’ initiatives, we are focusing on the theme of Emergency Preparedness and also committing to support three sustainable development goals — No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Quality Education — based on goals published by the United Nations. To support these themes, we’ll focus on activities like building a small school and playground and establishing a shelter for immigrants that offers training in language and skills development.
But truly nothing is off limits and we won’t be restricted to these themes and goals. For example, we’re also planning events around ecosystem preservation, refugees health, youth mentorship, immigrants skills development, and more. And we want each of these activities and initiatives to be a “five-star” initiative, meaning we include participants from five different areas each time — our Appfire employees, family and friends, partners, customers, and industry colleagues.
As we like to say, if it’s big in your heart, it’s big to us. In Appfire Town, no cause is too small. We’re excited for what’s to come over the remainder of this year, both through formal programming and your unique, one-off ideas. We invite everyone to contact Appfire Town to share ideas, connect with fellow volunteers, and make an impact.
