How Oracle’s Applications Development team came together to support nonprofits

“If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that we’re all connected—even while apart,” says Steve Miranda, EVP, Oracle Applications Development. “Within that connectedness, we have enormous power to do good.”

To inspire team spirit and connectedness amid the pandemic, Steve invited his whole global organization to celebrate Oracle Volunteering’s 30th anniversary last November and December with Oracle’s first-ever division wide volunteering challenge—called Apps for Good.

The Apps for Good campaign raised awareness about virtual volunteering opportunities and fostered team building across Steve’s division.

Why it matters

“Bringing the organization together for a volunteering program not only gave us an opportunity to give back to communities worldwide, but it reminded us that we are one team, even if remote, and that it feels great to help others and make a difference. It was amazing to see what we could accomplish in just two months,” Steve says.

What they did

Oracle volunteers from the Apps Dev team donated thousands of hours and engaged with more than 60 nonprofits and institutions worldwide. While the challenge was entirely virtual because of the pandemic, Apps Dev employees found meaningful ways to work together on projects. Participants connected with colleagues all over the world with similar passions.

Team members met on Zoom to craft holiday cards for seniors and welcome messages for refugees, create academic flashcards and videos for digital learning, and record audiobooks for students with autism.

Employees across the globe hosted virtual education sessions for students, crocheted prostheses and blankets for breast cancer survivors, and ran supply drives for unhoused residents in their local communities. They made a difference and made organization-wide connections.

How it worked

Steve invited Apps Dev teams to participate in weekly volunteering events hosted by his senior leadership team, initiate new volunteering projects with their favorite nonprofit organizations, and/or continue ongoing volunteer work through Oracle Volunteering.

Participants also had the opportunity to join learning sessions hosted by the Oracle Education Foundation and Oracle’s Corporate Citizenship team, who shared Oracle’s vision for philanthropy and global impact.

What team members had to say

“The more we give, the happier we feel,” says Sreedevi Thiriveedhi, IT director based in India, explaining why she volunteers.

JJ Lara, learning and development senior manager based in the U.S., adds that the volunteer effort helped him “take on and practice roles and projects that expanded my skills and competencies. It helped me stretch outside my comfort zone and develop my leadership skills.”

Feedback from the nonprofits served

Nonprofits helped by the team expressed their gratitude.

Kohinoor Chakravarty, director of development and communications, West Valley Community Services, wrote a thank-you note to the team, saying, “Thank you for your assistance during this extremely difficult time. Our clients’ worries have mounted with the pandemic situation. It is comforting to know that there are so many people who really care deeply about the community and are willing to help those individuals in need. The value of this support is priceless.”

Venice Dunn, director of development, Youth Emerging Stronger, also thanked the team, saying, “Your team of amazing volunteers created more joy than you will ever realize, and I wanted to take a moment to say—you are appreciated.”

How employees can make a difference

Oracle grants employees up to forty hours a year to give back through volunteering during the workday and supports employees in volunteering as much as they would like outside of work. Employees make a positive impact on their community and strengthen bonds with teammates by joining one of the many Oracle Volunteering projects happening throughout the year.