Giving Back and Making a Difference

“When you put good in, you get good out.”

That’s always been something of a rallying cry for the Olivia’s team. It sums up our approach to pretty much everything we do. From the Olivia’s Organic’s Children’s Foundation to more sustainable farming and food production practices, we’re always looking for new ways to fill the world with a little more good.

This week we’re shining a spotlight on an organization doing a whole lot of good in the Greater Boston area – the Italian Home for Children. We’ll hear from one member of the Olivia’s team who loves volunteering at the Italian Home and took giving back to a whole new level.

About the Italian Home for Children!

The Italian Home provides an integrated network of powerful and effective programs to help children and families with emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges thrive in their communities. They offer residential programs, as well as home and community programs in addition to an educational center.

Olivia’s Organics has been a supporter of this inspiring organization for many years. To share more about the Italian Home and our involvement, we’re turning it over to Olivia’s team member and giving-back pro, Russell Evans.

Meet Russell Evans …
An amazing member of our Olivia’s community with a heart of gold! 

1. Can you share a bit about your background and how you got involved with Olivia’s Organics?
I have worked in Brand Positioning/New Products my entire career with brands like Gillette, Duracell, Dole and FAGE. I was very fortunate to meet Olivia’s through a group that I am a member of that works with innovative food companies. That led me to having the good fortune of working at Olivia’s, focusing on brand growth. It is exciting to be a part of a company with such a strong ethic about giving back to the community.

2. We heard that you love getting out and about in your own community! What influences you to give back to the organizations so close to home?
A long time ago I heard a talk on how we all have a chance to bring light to every day. That simple acts such as stopping on the road to help or just saying hello create “the ties that bind” us together. There are many ways we can give back, but we can have the most impact becoming involved at a local level. Our ability to help becomes even more impactful when we choose to help our neighbors.

3. We heard you’re a huge supporter of the Italian Home for Children! Can you share some of the things you’ve done with this incredible organization?
I was fortunate to have been introduced to the Italian Home by Team Olivia’s. It has been amazing to be part of a dedicated and integrated volunteer team, and to have gotten to know the incredible folks at the Home. Our most recent visit to the Home involved putting up two enormous tents needed for summer events (which has become an annual tradition for Olivia’s volunteers). The Home also faced serious landscaping issues because of not being able to get help this year. Team Olivia’s was able to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.

My volunteer work with Olivia’s inspired me to set up a private movie night at our local Showcase Super Lux movie theater this past winter. The pandemic has been tough on all children, and my wife and I wanted to give the kids at the Italian Home the same experience that our son had with his friends of renting a private showing of a movie. We worked with our local theater to dedicate two different screens so that the children from the Home could be spaced safely. It was a very snowy day, but the staff from the Italian Home made the trek and the kids got to enjoy their own private theater, complete with popcorn of course! I learned that for some of these kids it was the first time that they had seen a movie. It shows that you never know the amount of impact that you can have when you start to volunteer.

4. What’s your favorite part of volunteering?
I love being a part of a team and also knowing that I am helping someone who truly needs our help. Knowing that our involvement is making an impact. I also love being taken away from working on the computer and doing physical work, like mowing grass and landscaping. It is very powerful to see different people from Olivia’s using their organizational, planning and manufacturing skills to solve a problem and help. Everyone comes together to get the job done and you are left with a real sense of accomplishment. It’s amazing how much Team Olivia’s gets done in such a short amount of time — and we have a lot of fun doing it.

5. If you had to share one piece of advice on how to start volunteering and making an impact, what would it be?
Find an organization that is meaningful but that also has people that you enjoy. You need Mission + People + Fun to be an effective volunteer. The combination of these three factors will maximize your efforts and sense of accomplishment.

6. Anything else you would love to add for our readers?
Doing our part helps the greater good. These are “the ties that bind” that keep us together. The world can seem tough and challenging, but we all have the ability to bring a little bit of light into every day. That is the joy and power of volunteering. There is great strength in being kind.

What are your best tips for giving back? Drop us a line and let us know how you volunteer or give a shoutout to a deserving organization in your community. Email teamolivias@oliviasorganics.org, or find us on Instagram – that’s @Olivias_Organics.

Thanks for making Olivia’s part of your fresh, healthy life.

Team Olivia’s