This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, HG Insights closed their offices and opened their hearts by volunteering in their communities — whether that’s here in Santa Barbara, London, Brazil, or anywhere else — to honor Dr. King’s legacy and participate in service projects.
“One of the most important parts of the culture at HG Insights is to give back to organizations that align with our core values and mission. And we don’t just sponsor galas and events — we are out there in the field! It means a lot to see HGers, with sleeves rolled up and smiles on their faces, working hard and making a difference.”
– Elizabeth Cholawsky, CEO, HG Insights
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which this year took place on the Civil Rights Leader’s birthday, January 15th, is the only holiday that’s also considered a national day of service, and HGers dived in! Here are some shout-outs to the team, who went above and beyond:
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper Coastal Cleanup Day
The Channelkeepers, whose mission is to protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through science-based advocacy, education, fieldwork, and enforcement, were out across the county’s beaches en masse.
This MLK Jr, Day, a team of HGers collected approximately 45 pounds of trash! Our stars were: Katherine Steele, Tracy York, Mark Fell, Mannie Singh, Parker Turner, Johnny Frey, and Jon Martin!
California Institute of Environmental Studies
The California Institute of Environmental Studies (CIES) was established in 1976 as a 501(c)(3) organization that conducted wildlife research in California. Today, they are recognized as leaders in the research, restoration, monitoring, and education of native species.
Taylor Viens represented HG Insights on MLK Jr, Day by restoring native species with CIES on Anacapa, Channel Island. The volunteers cultivated and planted over 300 saplings back in their endemic environment protecting against erosion and invasive species.
Zooniverse
The world’s largest and most popular platform for people-powered research. This research is made possible by volunteers — more than a million people around the world who come together to assist professional researchers.
Several HGers spent time working on Zooniverse projects — forwarding research on historical records as well as contributing to scientific slide classifications and looking for African bees!
Another HGer even contributed to their open-source tools!
Here are some more photos of how HGers spent the day!
Additionally, HGers supported the following organizations:
- Hope for Haiti
- Meals on Wheels
- Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund
- People’s Pantry of Santa Barbara
- Return to Freedom
A Culture of Service
Beyond Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, however, HGers have a strong track record of continuously giving back. Many of our employees volunteer up to 20 hours a month on passion projects in our community.
Going even further, HG Insights extends Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into a whole month. HG Gives! — the community and conservation impact arm of HG Insights — challenges HGers to see how many volunteer events or donations they can accumulate during January. HG Insights will then make a $250 donation to a charity of the winner’s choice!
Many of our employees volunteer up to 20 hours a month on passion projects in our community. Katherine Steele, who coordinates HG Gives! volunteering initiatives is proud of all the work HGers do — both in our community and around the world.
“I love that HG Insights gives us the opportunity to foster positive community relationships with many of the diverse groups in Santa Barbara and anywhere else our employees live.”
Get Involved
If you’re interested in growing on both a personal and professional level, in working where there’s a culture of service, you’re in the right place.
HG Insights is hiring! To learn more about the opportunities at HG Insights, visit our Careers page to find open positions and what it’s like to work at HG Insights.
