“Give Back & Impact”
by Amy Modesti
Integra H.R. and the Defreestville Fire Department hosted their first drive thru event, “Give Back & Impact,” Wednesday afternoon, May 27. Integra H.R. teamed up with the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Capital Region Cares to give back to agencies serving our most vulnerable populations, and to recognize direct care professionals who are essential workers.
Integra H.R. co-founder and President, Jennifer Massey, and Trisha Cuzdey, H.R. Business Partner and Consultant, have spent a portion of their careers in human services. Their inspiration for organizing “Give Back & Impact” came from the need to recognize the unsung heroes like the food pantry employees, the direct care workers, and the direct support professionals who provide great care to our most vulnerable populations. They are essential and working the front lines every day trying to keep the people they support safe. These roles are already difficult and now are even more difficult during the pandemic. Their mission to bring awareness and attention to all front-line workers who receive little pay for the hard work they do to serve the most vulnerable was apparent.
Three large tables were placed outside the pavilion for drivers to drop off their gently used and new items to local organizations, Berkshire Farm Center, Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) and its Food Pantry, Evergreen Commons, St. Catherine’s Center for Children, Vanderheyden, and Unity House of Troy Inc. Drivers that dropped off essentials wore masks and stayed in their vehicles while volunteers took the items and placed them on the tables.
The Defreestville FD and other community volunteers assisted in sorting, placing and packaging food, water and essentials into the CEO truck. Post-donation day, Integra H.R. delivered diapers for Unity House of Troy Inc. to Kate Manley, President of the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce and delivered items to Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth. They will be making more deliveries within the course of a few weeks to Vanderheyden, Evergreen Commons and St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
For those who could not attend the “Give Back & Impact” event can make a monetary donation at any CAPCOM FCU branch drive thru. The money will be placed into their impact account at the credit union. For those who wish to mail a check, they can make it out to Give Back and Impact Fund and write Impact on the memo line. Please mail to CAPCOM FCU, Fund Deposit, 4 Winners Circle, Albany, NY 12205.