Dynamic Community Services – A Year of Giving
I had the privilege of sitting down with Sheri Sherrell, President and “Chief Giving Officer” at Dynamic Computing Services. Sheri is very passionate about giving and the impact it has on the community. She feels it is important to note that giving is very personal. Sheri’s hope is that by sharing DCS’s charity work with a broader audience, it will encourage a ripple effect resulting in a positive impact to our community charity organizations.
DCS has always been a charitable company, in many unique ways, beginning their first corporate giving project in 2008 following Hurricane Katrina. Sheri learned, through a friend of a DCS employee, that Anniston Elementary School in Gulf Port Mississippi was in critical need of help to support the 500 children attending the school. DCS adopted this school for a year providing backpacks, school supplies, Thanksgiving meals, Christmas gifts, gift cards, personal items and cash donations. Sheri coordinated an event to collect Beanie Babies and over 500 were donated to the children.
Last December, each DCS office tackled the Holiday Giving in unique ways. DCS Maple Valley did a twelve hour marathon of giving. Each hour they picked a local charity and made a donation. It was a huge success and a lot of fun for everyone involved. DCS Austin chose to reach out to a member of the Cap Ridge office maintenance team. Every day, this very upbeat man kept the office clean all while battling cancer. Giving back to this man and his family who made the office sparkle and shine with such great enthusiasm was very rewarding for the office.
Throughout the year DCS works with the following local organizations to give back:
Vine Maple Place – assists families in crisis by helping single parents and their children build lives of hope, stability, and greater economic self-sufficiency.
Maple Valley Food Bank –provides food and emergency services to residents in our service area and to educate, empower and engage our community in solving issues of hunger and nutrition. DCS staff help on a regular basis to sort and collect canned foods.
Family First Foundation – provides mentoring to children on the importance of education, literacy and self-esteem.
www.fam1stfamilyfoundation.org/
Other charity organizations supported include: Goodwill Industries, Shop With a Cop, The Soup Ladies, Operation Gratitude, St Jude, Bread of Life, Blanket Coverage and 5K run/walk to support Childhood Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis and Multiple Sclerosis.
On the day we met, Sheri was working on a critical need for the Salvation Army. The Bell Ringer volunteer calendar was empty for the two weeks leading up to Christmas! Donations in December make up a significant portion of their operational budget for 2017. Sheri put things in motion and many of the Maple Valley team will be ringing bells next week. Collections are also underway for Bread of Life, the Maple Valley Food Bank, and a family in the Austin Area.
Sheri’s enthusiasm for giving is contagious! She involves friends, family and employees in her volunteer activities. Her giving philosophy is “I am blessed to bless others”.
In January, I will focus on DCS employees who give back to their communities. Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year. This year, make an effort to give to someone in need, the feeling is better than any present you will receive.
Contributed by: Amy Noel, Executive Vice President, Sales & Recruiting