At HCA, caregiving is in their DNA, so it’s only natural they provide employees with the opportunity to give back in their local communities.
“Serving at the Mission was a great experience for our team,” shared Conrad Harkrider, Business Operations Manager at HCA, who recently led a team of 21 colleagues from departments across all areas of HCA for a day of serving meals, painting, and organizing at the Mission.
“It’s not often you can pull together such a diverse group of co-workers, who typically spend their time behind a desk, to step outside their comfort zone, and work together towards a common goal like helping the homeless,” said Conrad. “It was a wonderful day of team building while also giving back to those in need.”
For the first half of the day, the team broke off into two groups. The first group spent the morning repainting the dayroom at the Men’s Campus. While the second group prepped and served lunch.
“I think a lot of people mistakenly think of a shelter as a soup kitchen, which couldn’t be further from the truth at the Mission. When our team joined back up in the dining room to eat lunch, many of them were surprised by how great the meal was.”
In the second half of the day, the team gathered in the warehouse to sort toiletries and organize canned goods. “Most of us had no idea the Mission was so big, both in size and scope,” said Conrad. “It was great to see behind the scenes. Our day of service allowed us to see the entire supply chain in action. Starting with donations of food and other essential items, to how they are sorted and organized, then brought up to the kitchen to be prepared and served.”
For Conrad, a highlight of the day was working closely with some of the men participating in the Mission’s Life Recovery Program.
“Despite the challenges they are facing, the men we met had incredibly upbeat attitudes. They were working hard to get their life back together. In the process, they were performing physically demanding work, doing a great job, and maintaining a positive attitude. It was refreshing to see and experience.”
