Belmates Give Back: Volunteering at Union Gospel Mission and Ronald McDonald House

As Belmar grows and scales our business, we recognize the importance of staying true to our missions and values that we set out for ourselves from day 1 - fostering community is one of them, and for this season of giving back, our organization volunteered at two different nonprofit organizations. Learn about our experiences and the organizations below:

Belmates Give Back at Union Gospel Mission

One experience in particular that we’ll never forget is Union Gospel Mission (UGM). Founded in 1940, UGM is a charitable organization that strives to provide health and safety initiatives through meals, shelter, education, and more for those who are struggling with poverty and addiction within Canada. Their dedication to transforming communities that are facing the overlapping housing, health, and opioid crises is truly inspirational.

We had the opportunity to volunteer at UGM’s thrift store where our members helped with sorting clothing donations they received. We organized donations into various categories so the store workers could easily sift through and display them in the shop, as well as identify any items that were not up to par to meet their standards. This allowed them to arrange the store into different sections based on the article of clothing item, so shoppers could easily browse through the area. It was an amazing and eye-opening experience to see the logistics that go into UGM’s thrift store’s various processes and procedures firsthand. The store was beautifully organized with different sections dedicated to pants, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, pillows, and more!

Our Belmates also helped within UGM’s main facility by putting up Christmas decorations and cleaning the dining area for the upcoming holiday season. From setting up Christmas trees to hanging up lights and tinsels, all while enjoying Christmas carols together, we felt like we were truly part of their organization. UGM generously provided us with a warm meal during lunch, and afterwards, we were all taken on a tour of the facility. We were able to see the resources they provide to community members, as well as learn more about UGM’s amazing mission to not only support those going through poverty, addiction, and homelessness, but to also develop a long-term solution to set them up for future success.

The members at UGM were exceptional at helping us set up a volunteering day to accommodate twelve of our team members. From logistics coordination to guiding us on the day of, it was a seamless process and we’re so grateful for their support. It was truly wonderful to learn about the outstanding impact they have, and will continue to have on our community members. This experience ultimately enabled us to gain a deeper insight into the multifaceted approach our various nonprofit clients take to serve their missions. We can’t thank UGM enough, and will continue to look for opportunities to give back to the community in the new year!

Hear More About our Belmates’ Experiences:

“This was an eye opening day! I knew about UGM, but had no idea how expansive their impact is. This volunteering experience made me even more motivated to help leverage tech to simplify that juggling act and elevate impact for other organizations like UGM that are doing amazing work in our communities.”

“It made us realize that no task should be overlooked, regardless of how small or big in an organization. At the end of the day, someone has to get these tasks done and it's extremely rewarding to help these organizations wherever we can!”

“I learned that there are many people who have jobs but do not have a home to sleep in, who go to UGM for support. At Belmar, we implement program and case management solutions, so it was interesting to be able to see those concepts in real life. I'll be able to share more examples of program and case management in my role during presales and delivery meetings.”

Belmates Give Back at Ronald Mcdonald House

Some of our Belmates also volunteered at Ronald McDonald House (RMH) this holiday season. Founded in 1983, RMH was originally a 13-bedroom house to provide shelter and care for families and sick children who were traveling long distances to obtain specialized care that could only be found in Vancouver. As demand greatly increased over the coming years, more and more houses came under construction, and today, RMH has around a 75-bedroom house accompanied with even more services to support those in need.

Our team members visited RMH and baked various cookies and treats for the families residing there. The house is fun to visit as well and it most definitely had unique and a well-thought-out design. There’s a spacious Lego lounge that kids can play in, giant indoor curly slide instead of stairs, and even an arcade/games room. Our team was not only able to tour the amazing facility, but also use their kitchen to bake these delicious treats! We hope that by doing so, it helped brighten the families’ day.

It was truly amazing to hear about RMH’s ability to house 75 families for free every night so they could travel to Vancouver for their child's treatment at BC Children's Hospital. In one year, they helped 2000 families and eliminated 5-10 hours of driving distance to the hospital; this makes it easily accessible to access the hospital and helps ease the stress that families face, all while staying close to their child. Not only that, but they create a supportive community of other families who also understand what they're going through, and who may be experiencing the same day-to-day challenges.

Their mission and values as an organization are so inspiring, and we hope to work with Ronald McDonald House again sometime in the future to support this amazing cause!

Hear More About our Belmates’ Experiences:

“At RMH, we baked cookies for the kids! It was amazing to how much thought and care goes into the design of their facilities - allowing for ALL people staying to be as comfortable as possible. They account for the whole family in addition to the kids. From fully-stocked kitchens to dedicated teen lounges and music rooms, RMH is truly an incredible organization that cares so much about their constituents.”

“We had blast baking cookies for families staying at RMH BC! I used to work at the House so the cause is near and dear to me, but I learn something new every time I visit.”

“What struck me this time was how the smallest things can have the biggest impact. We often speak with clients about the life changing outcomes of massive digital transformations that take months and revolutionize their entire capacity to serve their cause. All true and exciting, but I was reminded that simple, thoughtful actions - like a warm, home-baked cookie and a smile on a tough day far from home - can have an equally powerful impact. It was a valuable reminder for me to think about the little things we can do for our clients and prospects to be true partners in their success. There are many Salesforce partners that do what Belmar does, but how we work and why we do it is what will set us apart and allow our team and our clients to thrive.”