Hollister Recruiter Prepares for Gulf Coast Relief Trip

Jan. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- BOSTON, Mass., – On January 30, fifteen members of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Milton will board a plane for New Orleans to participate in relief projects aimed at restoring the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Mary Truslow, a recruiter in the Creative Services & Marketing division at Boston-based staffing firm, Hollister, will be among those taking time out of their daily lives to help.

The weeklong trip will allow volunteers to participate in construction work, set up food pantries and volunteer at badly understaffed local schools.  In addition, they will be spending a full day working on bayou restoration- propagating plants that will help to keep the area’s soil safe from recurring flooding. The volunteers raised funds for their trip through donations from family and community members, with donors choosing to fund work in increments of hours, days, or a full week. All contributions raised have been put towards the cost of the trip and buying supplies for a New Orleans food pantry.

“The reality is, when we help those in great need, we help ourselves,” said Truslow.  “I’m grateful for this opportunity to get outside of my own skin and help to make someone’s life seem a little more whole again. My 13 year-old son will be coming with me, and this will be a unique chance for him to get an awareness of what’s outside his world and to see the challenges other Americans face. I wish more young people had this opportunity.”

Philanthropic ventures are nothing new to Hollister’s own employees, many of whom volunteer their lunchtimes on a weekly basis to read to children through Everybody Wins, a children’s literacy nonprofit championed by the late Senator Edward Kennedy. Through a strategic philanthropy model focused on education and career development, Hollister is also affiliated with North Cambridge Catholic High School and YMCA’s Training, Inc. program.  In order to allow Hollister to give back to the community, the company affords employees 2 days annually to volunteer or participate in philanthropic events.

“Philanthropy is an integral part of our business model at Hollister,” said founder & CEO Kip Hollister. If I were to tell my employees they couldn’t take time off to put their full energy into supporting causes they believe in, I would not be practicing what I preach. This is the very reason we have a philanthropy committee here, and it’s inspirational to see Mary so passionate about helping those in need. I wish the whole team a safe and successful trip!”

In February, Hollister’s philanthropy committee will work together with the Red Cross to organize a blood drive at their offices at 75 State Street. Planning is currently underway to incorporate a fundraiser for the victims of the January 12th earthquake in Haiti, which is believed to have claimed over 100,000 lives.

For more information about the situation in New Orleans, and to follow St. Michael’s volunteers on their trip, please visit http://stmichaelsmilton.blogspot.com/.

About Hollister
Hollister is a Boston-based, woman-owned, full-service staffing firm, passionate about connecting Massachusetts’ opportunity with talent in innovative and effective ways. For 20 years, Hollister has been the bridge that connects professionals with jobs in Massachusetts, and companies with the best employees.  For more information, please visit www.hollisterstaff.com