Alcon Associates Make a Brilliant Difference in Local Communities
4 mins read
“The projects we support as volunteers make a huge impact in our communities. I’ve had the pleasure of working on Habitat for Humanity projects—being able to build a home for a family in need felt very rewarding!
We are fortunate at Alcon, and I have a 'pay-it-forward' mentality, so this is an opportunity to bless others in need of our support. Thank you for providing the opportunities to support our communities.”
Jeannette Bankes, Group President Global Franchises, U.S.
"AiA brings our associates together to make a positive impact on housing, health, hunger and education in local communities. As associates, we gain new experiences and can make a valuable contribution.
I enjoy housing activities with my colleagues because it is also a nice balance to the daily office routine and of course together we can achieve great things and each individual has the opportunity to make a difference."
Steffi Igler, Manager HSE & CSR, Germany
“My most impactful moment from AiA was volunteering and caring for adults in a nursing home, many who had cataracts. AiA helps impact our local community by meeting the needs of those who need it most, which remains engraved in our and their minds and hearts forever.”
Andrea Castro, Surgical Executive Assistant, Colombia
“For AiA, my team went to a recreation center for visually impaired children and created a sensory garden from scratch for them. It was amazing to work together to create something unique that serves these children. It was also an incredible opportunity to get to know colleagues under conditions that are completely different from everyday work. I think volunteering strengthens a sense of pride and belonging among associates.
Each AiA comes with a wide range of emotions. I love the moment when people get back to work after volunteering and share with each other how meaningful the experience was for them. It’s so rewarding and definitely drives me to engage again.”
Katarzyna Domańska, Senior Patient Awareness & Communication Manager, Poland
“AiA volunteers have provided a substantial relief to the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation (GLLF). Participants made a huge dent in sorting the donated eye-glasses inventory and created a significant amount of extra space on inventory shelves for future donations. They also cleaned up garden areas by planting trees, flowers and shrubs, removing overgrown weeds, and raking away leaves to brighten up the area.
The most impactful moment was watching the staff at GLLF come outside of their building to view the newly renovated garden area for the first time. Seeing their shocked but happy faces was extremely rewarding. It is important to look beyond oneself. Helping others and taking care of one another are goals we should all try to achieve.”
Nick Gober, Scientist, R&D Formulations, U.S.
“My favorite volunteer activities are for the theme of education. India is a country with a rich heritage, but with a large population, there are plenty of homeless children who are deprived of valuable education. For AiA, we distributed education-based kits and played with orphans. We also painted and decorated educational walls with them, and the moment of rejoicing when the kids recited the written notes was heart-touching.
Being a part of AiA initiatives, I realize there is a life beyond work. AiA has touched so many lives and produced true, heartfelt stories, emotions and touching experiences. I believe AiA itself has a major impact on all the associates. The collaboration and dedication we see within all of it is mind-blowing. Thanks to all the teams for their outstanding work.”
Rupali Panda, Project Manager, Global Medical Safety-AGS, India
“I volunteered with Southeaster Guide Dogs, who provides life-changing services for veterans with disabilities and children with significant challenges. To hear how it positively affects a service-dog owner’s life was so impactful. It is very rewarding to see what a difference you can make.”
Enid Santiago, Customer Equipment Specialist, Puerto Rico
“I am passionate about the work that is done for Alcon in Action because it’s about making a difference in someone’s life for a better good.
During one of our activities, we managed to donate grocery items such as rice, oil, biscuits, noodles, canned food, and more to 10 different centers for families to take home. Associates look forward to this event and want to contribute and help.”
Ivy Cheam, Paralegal for L&C & Communication Champion, Singapore
“I volunteered with a large group at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. We received pallets of unorganized food to inspect, sort, and interpret food freshness dates. I was impressed by how many incoming goods we were able to organize when working together.
Alcon in Action positively impacts our local community, as seen by our excitement. When Alcon associates volunteer, we help organizations like the Second Harvest Food Bank further their mission.”
Alexander Mok, Senior Engineer, U.S.
