Written by: Ate C, U! Happy Core Member
Corporate social responsibility has become very popular in the recent years as the role of the private companies in contributing to social good has been increasingly recognized, especially in developing countries like the Philippines where the efforts of government and nonprofit organizations still need to be augmented to sufficiently meet the needs of the marginalized sector of the population.
U! Happy Events provides a good avenue for companies to start CSR activities by connecting them to various partner beneficiaries, helping them gain awareness of existing social gaps they can hopefully create solutions for, and stirring a spirit of volunteerism and service among their employees.
On December 18, Torres, Vera Cruz, Pesa, & Co. (TVP & Co.), a business solutions company in Quezon City, brought us one of our biggest events in the month by partnering with us to engage 100 children from Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid (2KK) Sampaloc in celebration of Christmas and the firm’s second year anniversary. Twenty Ates and Kuyas of the TVP & Co. joined us to spread Christmas cheer by spending a very meaningful morning with the kids, gamely participating in all the activities lined up for them.
The children came to the venue very early on a Tuesday morning, evidently excited for what awaits them. Therefore, when the TVP team arrived, we kickstarted the event by having all members introduce themselves to the children while trotting their best Miss Universe walk. They were then seated with the children to get to know them better by sharing with one another their names, favorite Christmas food, and their Christmas wish.
The children were then given the opportunity to play with their Ates and Kuyas and win prizes in the games Bring Me Art and In or Out. This was followed by a performance by our in-house magician, Kuya Rolly, eliciting amazed expressions in the faces of both the children and their Ates and Kuyas.
After the magic show, we proceeded to learn how to make a paper angel Christmas décor in our Arts and Crafts workshop facilitated by Ate Shiela. The kids had the chance to get creative in designing and coloring their angels as their Ates and Kuyas eagerly assisted them in the process.
When the workshop was over, the Ates and Kuyas readily served food to the kids and everyone enjoyed a hearty lunch while mingling with one another. Prizes were then distributed to the winning groups and when everyone was done eating, the Ates and Kuyas went on to distribute their gifts of school supplies to the children.
We then huddled for the group photos and capped the event with grateful hugs from the children to their Ates and Kuyas. Congratulations TVP, & Co. for your 2nd year anniversary! Thank you for choosing to celebrate this milestone by generously sharing your gifts and your time to underprivileged kids, inspiring hope in their hearts as they meet people who are willing to believe and invest in their future.
