We wrapped up 2024 in the best way possible: by making sure to spend time giving back to our local communities! At Wireless Zone, supporting the passions of our employees is who we are; it’s built into the foundation of our business. We’d like to highlight the amazing volunteer efforts of our team through October, November, and December.
December 2024
Groton Grant: New London Homeless Hospitality Center
Don O., Gladstone Group Director of Business Sales, and Rich D. from the B2B team awarded the New London Homeless Hospitality Center with two checks from Wireless Zone Gives grants. The NLHHC will use them to provide cellphones to the people they serve so they can stay connected. They were beyond ecstatic! Don and Rich received a tour of one of their facilities and they were humbled and amazed to see the work that this team does. They are the only warming center in Southeastern Connecticut and this year they are feeling that strain more than ever. They look forward to expanding their partnership to help NLHHC continue their fight against homelessness.
Tom L: Lifesaving Hero
Sales Associate Tom Luongo’s quick actions saved the life of a customer having a medical emergency in the WZ Warwick, RI, store. This testimonial is directly from a Google review left by a customer who witnessed the event:
“My experience today was out of the ordinary. It involved a customer having a seizure with loss of consciousness and stopped breathing…resulting in needing CPR chest compressions to revive him. Luckily your employee Tom was trained in CPR and basically saved this man’s life. And at the same time, he was calm and in control and aware of the customers in the store. AFTER we had secured the man with paramedics, detailing what had occurred, a customer asked Tom if she could continue with whatever she had come into the store for. He transitioned to helping her without a blink. He issued some kind of code and kept on working with her for whatever issue she had. My visit today was not something ordinary. It was extraordinary to say the least.
Even before this whole crazy health crisis occurred, I had been working with Tom and I had complimented him on his knowledge and his mental acuity on how fast he can comprehend and his ability to present information while taking in additional information regarding an extra situation on my account. It is not very often that you run across someone with these skills. And when I see them, it lifts me up that there are highly intelligent personable people out there. They are rare. I thought I was the lucky one that got him this day. But now I feel like that guy was. You are also lucky to have someone with his level of commitment, compassion to the everyday person and the intelligence and social interaction skills to deal with the variety of the general public. The other employee this day was very aware of the seriousness of the situation and was a calming presence for customers. Although Tom may be very modest regarding this….my ending comment is that Tom is a lifesaving hero and you should be aware of what he did.”
Team Appreciation Breakfast
The Gladstone Group, a Wireless Zone franchise group, showed their appreciation to the Wireless Zone Store Support team by providing a delicious breakfast at their office, catered by Everbowl, owned and operated by our very own Wesley G., Director of Loss Prevention. They wanted to thank the amazing call center staff, support teams, and executives who work tirelessly to support us year-round.
A big shoutout to Wesley for making this morning extra special with Everbowl’s catering! Thank you, Gladstone Group!
Cats Haven Event
The Learning and Development team and friends helped get Cats Haven ready for winter.
They cleaned all the litter boxes, moved the cages to the warmest places in the house, set up wind break tarps for the porch, emptied and moved flowerpots, and brought in firewood. Cat’s Haven was also awarded a grant to extend their outdoor enclosure!
November 2024
Rock the Pantry
On November 16 – 17, select stores chose to participate in Rock the Pantry and collect non-perishable donations to benefit a local food bank. We also donated $30,000 to Hunger Fight. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped feed our communities!
Ben’s Ranch Volunteer Event
The learning and development team and the Arts and Outdoor Adventures (AOA) employee resource group volunteered with Ben’s Ranch to build fences, paint benches, paint gates, and clean stables. Ben’s Ranch is close to the heart of the AOA group because of their mission of providing purpose, belonging, and support for the mental health of our community youth through outdoor experiences.
100 Black Men of Indianapolis Gala
At the 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc. annual gala, Round Room (Wireless Zone’s parent company) was honored to receive the 100 Impact Award. This award is given to an organization that has gone above and beyond to positively impact the development of the youth in the greater Indianapolis community. We are so proud to support 100 Black Men and their cause!
Best Buddies Gala
We attended the Best Buddies Indiana gala with our very own Best Buddies employee and former Champion of the Year, RJ Zeph.
91 Place Volunteer Event
Some of our Store Support team volunteered to meal prep for 91 Place residents. This nonprofit is a home for unhoused youth in Indianapolis to grow, transform, and rebuild their lives.
Wireless Nation Banquet Check Presentation
At the 2024 Wireless Nation banquet, this Wireless Zone franchise team presented LASOS (Linking All So Others Succeed) with a check from their Q3 contest winnings from Wireless Zone Gives. LASOS is an organization that provides crucial resources to non-native English-speaking residents of Hartford County, MD, through adult and family literacy classes and at-risk youth mentoring.
Wireless Nation CEO Joe Hathiramani gives personal support to this organization and used the recent grant to challenge the employees of Wireless Nation to find their own passions that can be supported through giving their time and applying for future WZ Gives Grants.
October 2024
Cocktails & Caregivers Gala
Store Support and field employees attended the Cocktails & Caregivers Blue Tie Gala. It was an impactful night reflecting on their past ten years of work and to shining a spotlight on their amazing caregivers. Last year, we supported this nonprofit with a $100,000 Mega Grant.
Coburn Place Volunteer Event
Volunteers from our Store Support office and surrounding stores in the Indianapolis area volunteered at Coburn Place, an organization that provides safe housing choices for survivors of domestic violence and their children. Our team set up an apartment for an incoming survivor and family so they could have a safe space to begin their new life.
Excellence in Business Awards
We are honored that we are a finalist by Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce for “Corporate Community Leader of the Year,” part of their 2024 Excellence in Business Award series. This award recognizes companies that demonstrate exemplary commitment to protecting and engaging LGBTQ+ communities, customers, and supplies through their policies, practices, and initiatives.
Check out what we were up to in July, August, and September here. And read all about our company’s giving here.
Want to shop at a company that works to make a difference? Visit a Wireless Zone Verizon store near you now.