From the Experts, UG2 in Action

At UG2, Giving is Good for Us

By Lauren Lanzillo

How Charitable Efforts Can Benefit Our Health and Wellbeing

UG2 cares deeply about the communities we live and work in, and about the health and wellness of our employees. It’s no surprise that these two core values are very much interrelated.

We all know intuitively that engaging in charitable acts makes us feel good, but it turns out the benefits of giving our time and resources are broad and long-lasting—and the data backs this up. According to numerous studies, activities like participating in charity events, raising money for causes we care about, and volunteering for the greater good boost our happiness and our health.

Generosity Makes Our Hearts Happy

A study published in the journal BMC Public Health found that the cumulative effects of volunteering include positive health outcomes for our mental and physical health, life satisfaction, and social and mental wellbeing.

Participating in such activities promotes supportive relationships and a sense that we matter. Researchers even found that giving benefits our physical health in myriad ways, from lowering blood pressure for better heart health to allowing us to sleep better. The cumulative effects of a lifetime of kindness and generosity? We can actually live longer, healthier lives.

We Work Among the Kindest People We Know

UG2 employees’ generosity—and that of our customers—regularly astounds us, from the kindness and team spirit they demonstrate in the workplace and to the respectful support they show for each other’s personal challenges to their advocacy around the causes they believe in.

Like all of our decision-making at UG2, the choices we make about which causes to embrace are very much informed by the people who work here and who partner with us.

Our causes are as diverse as the people who make our organization such a rich and rewarding place to work. The leadership and employees of UG2 show up for children receiving medical care, youth facing homelessness, women who need clothing and coaching as they seek employment, families affected by autism, disadvantaged young people in need of mentoring and scholarships, patients struggling with kidney disease, unhoused people seeking shelter, immigrants striving to learn English, and countless other efforts.

These causes are deeply personal, and by raising them with their peers and colleagues, our employees and partners are elevating awareness and building stronger communities, including within the community of UG2.

Healthy, Happy, and Grateful

Reflecting on the interrelatedness of charitable giving and wellness brings to mind another core component of life at UG2—the practice of gratitude. Gratitude and the many benefits are an ongoing conversation at UG2 and an honored tradition around the holidays.

We are grateful that we continue to grow in our understanding of mental health and wellness, and the ways employers can contribute to our teams’ wellbeing.

Our core values reflect our corporate culture, shape our organization, and motivate us to volunteer our time and resources for a more equitable and compassionate society. We could not be prouder of the care, compassion, and insight our employees and customers demonstrate. We learn from them every day, and we don’t need researchers to tell us that knowing them and working alongside them makes us better, happier, healthier people.

Lauren Lanzillo
Vice President, Culture & Community