At The Accel Group and Accel Wealth Management, we want our employees to engage with meaningful volunteer opportunities. This is why annually each employee receives 24 hours of paid volunteer time off to connect with causes that are important to them.
Recently, Matt Getz, Director of Business Intelligence, used his Volunteer Time Off for his trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo to serve with Malembe Rise, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is dedicated to improving education and outcomes for children in the DRC. The trip was centered around visiting partner schools and organizations that support and enhance the work that is being sponsored by Malembe Rise to continue progress through deeper, more connected partnerships.
When considering the usage of his Volunteer Time Off, Matt stated, “My friend Brad is the President of the Board of Directors for Malembe Rise, and he invited me to travel with him due to ‘the longevity of our relationship, his respect for my insight, and unique view of the world.’ I believe very strongly in education, as well as immersing yourself in new and unique experiences, and this opportunity checked all those boxes.”
Additionally, this opportunity continued to inspire Matt’s DEI&B (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) journey, as Matt is a champion within our agency for these efforts. Matt shared, “I felt a feeling of helplessness because I couldn’t speak the language. I’d never been in that situation, and the feeling of not being able to share my experience, participate, or felt heard is overwhelming. Helping give a voice and understanding to those persons who live in that dynamic every day is something I want to give much more energy and attention to.”
Like Matt, many of our employees take advantage of the Volunteer Time Off benefit we offer. We could not be more proud of the work our teammates do to contribute to both the local and global communities for the greater good.