Your Thursday pick-me-up.
Our Good mailbox is overflowing with V Team stories from Texas, Ohio, and more.
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When news of the world gets depressing, we like to open the Good Mailbox and find stories of V Teamers doing what we do best: selfless acts that support people and places in need.
Making a difference on Earth Day
It’s not just people. We care about our planet too. In honor of Earth Day, thousands of V Teamers wrote letters of thanks to first responders, resulting in 35,600 trees being planted. By the way, there is still time for you to contribute a letter of hope and gratitude, as this event runs through the end of the year.
Going green with the NFL
While we’re talking about trees, the National Football League’s environmental program, NFL Green, partnered with Verizon and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Tuesday for a tree-planting event at Cleveland Metroparks Big Creek Reservation. Leading up to tonight’s kickoff of the NFL Draft, which is also happening in Cleveland, volunteers planted native-species trees suited to the local environment. All of this is part of the Citizen Verizon responsible-business plan, which centers on Digital Inclusion, Climate Protection and Human Prosperity.
V Teamer profile: Nirmal Shrestha
There are so many V Teamers who have inspiring personal stories. Consider the life journey of Nirmal Shrestha, who handles data management in Basking Ridge, NJ, as part of our Global Technology Solutions team.
Born and raised in Nepal, his country was thrown into turmoil with the Maoist insurgency in 1996. Seeking safety, Nirmal and his wife came to the United States as students in 2004. Money was tight for the young couple. While his wife took care of their first baby, Nirmal worked and studied, eventually earning a master’s degree in Information Systems Management. He worked for a number of years before joining Verizon in 2017. He calls it the best company he’s ever worked for. “To be a part of the V Team, it’s an honor,” said Nirmal.
While helping his wife raise their two daughters, Nirmal took advantage of Verizon’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to earn an MBA, getting up early in the mornings and on weekends to do homework, while paying for little more than his books.
Seeking a way to give back, Nirmal signed up for a virtual volunteering opportunity working with a Texas high school. Nirmal helped students with resume writing and mock interviews. “I wanted to provide the mentorship that wasn’t available to me when I was growing up,” said Nirmal. “This was an opportunity for me and a privilege.”
Meanwhile, for his ability to go above and beyond for clients, SMTS-IT Project Manager Rose Kornell awarded Nirmal a Purpose Coin. “One of the things I often hear doing development work is a user saying ‘This is exactly what I asked for but not what I needed.’” remembered Rose. “Nirmal is someone who is able to identify what is needed. He does a wonderful job.”
Congratulations and thanks to Nirmal for living the Verizon credo every day.
More inspiring stories?
If you know of a V Teamer who has an interesting past or is doing a lot to move the world forward, drop us a line at good@verizon.com
Get the latest information on our Coronavirus Resource Page (Inside Verizon, The Street).
