Volunteering at the Pine Street Inn
On May 17, 2012, fifty members of Wayfairs Supplier Ops team volunteered at the Pine Street Inn, a local non-profit that serves more than 1,300 homeless individuals daily. The group spent an afternoon chopping vegetables that would be used to create 3 days worth of meals for those in need. In addition to chopping almost 500lbs of veggies, the volunteers also provided a donation to cover the cost of the produce.
Founded in 1969, The Pine Street Inn serves more than 10,000 homeless individuals annually, and provides a full spectrum of services to help men and women reach their highest level of independence and get back to a place they can call home.
$1,775 Raised for Home for Little Wanderers Big Wishes 2011 Gift Drive
Wayfair employees teamed up this holiday season, and raised $1,775 for the Home for Little Wanderers “Big Wishes” 2011 Gift Drive. The annual fundraiser supports children across Massachusetts by providing them with toys, gifts, and other holiday essentials that they may not have had access to otherwise. The Home also helps by providing children with fun, family-friendly holiday activities.
“No child should be left without a present during the holidays” said Michelle Lemire, Learning & Development Manager and the fundraising organizer for the event. “Wayfair employees were eager to donate, excited for the cause, and happy to help our home community.” This is the second year that Wayfair has contributed to the Home for Little Wanderers’ toy drive, and we will continue to be a part of their efforts in the future.
Wayfair Co-Founder Steve Conine Bartends for a Cause
More than 70 Wayfair employees gathered at McGreevy’s this holiday season, a popular Boston pub and sports bar, to enjoy cocktails served up by Wayfair’s co-founder, Steve Conine. Steve put his mixology skills to the ultimate test by filling hundreds of beverage orders that ranged from waters to whiskeys – and at a very fast pace! All of the tips that Conine collected behind the bar were matched by McGreevy’s and donated to The Home For Little Wanderers, a Massachusetts charity that assists children in need.
The Boston Globe attended the event, and even published a piece titled “Hey Boss, Can You Make Me A Margarita?” that included Wayfair and went into more detail about the creative ways that companies were infusing employee interaction and fundraising efforts.
From Category Management to Cradles to Crayons
On December 13th 2011, eight members of the Category Management Team volunteered in Brighton, MA at Cradles to Crayons, an organization devoted to providing low income and homeless children with “the essentials they need to feel safe, warm, ready to learn, and valued.”
The group spent the day assembling Clothes Packs – a week’s worth of entire outfits, pajamas, and accessories for individual children, just in time for the Massachusetts winter.
Stirred by the enormous need for supplies, the CM Team intends to organize a follow-up drive back at Wayfair to collect clothing and toys to grant to Cradles to Crayons.
Wayfair Employees Donate 4,000+ Pounds of Food and $1,255 to Boston Food Bank
During the month of November 2011, Wayfair employees collected and donated a whopping 4,230.5 Lbs. of food to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Although this was the third year that Wayfair has participated in the food drive, this was a record-breaking year, with the weight of the donated food exceeding that of a standard car! On top of the food donations, Wayfair employees also raised $1,225 in cash to support the Food Bank’s efforts.
A big thanks to Emily Moore, a Senior Associate in the Data Compliance Department at Wayfair for overseeing the donation efforts for the third year in a row. According to their site, the Greater Boston Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger in Eastern Massachusetts.
Volunteering at the Pine Street Inn
With an impressive number of volunteers from the marketing operations team here at Wayfair, the Pine Street Inn was able to divide and conquer several of the tasks they needed a hand with. Founded in 1969, Pine Street Inn serves more than 1,500 homesless individuals daily and provides a full spectrum of services to help men and women reach their highest level of independence and get back to a place they can call home.
The team was split up to complete work over two days, helping out in the kitchen to prepare meals, painting walls in the dorms, stuffing evelopes for outreach, and anything else they could do to help.
Wayfair's Engineering Department Takes a Day to Give Back
This year 27 people from our Engineering department spent a day volunteering at The Food Project as part of the first-annual “Tech Gives Back Day,” a day where more than 500 people working in the technology sector here in the hub take a day away from their computers and crowded offices to help give back to the community.
Volunteers from Wayfair (which was called CSN Stores at the time) helped with land maintenance, planting and harvesting vegetables, and other tasks that needed their attention at The Food Project, a farm in Beverly, MA that grows food distributed to several community supported agriculture programs, Farmers’ Markets, and to hunger relief organizations.
$6,500 Raised for Habitat for Humanity
On May 5, 2011, eighteen members of Wayfairs Home Improvement marketing group spent the day working on a home with Habitat For Humanity Boston. The team of volunteers were put to work over two days at a home in Dorchester, MA, where they completed a variety of tasks to help bring the Habitat for Humanity home closer to completion. From preparing and installing insulation in the home to sanding, prepping, priming and painting walls and ceilings, the group enjoyed the opportunity to pitch in and help with the hard work.
In addition to the time the team volunteered, they also worked to raise more than $6,500 in donations for Habitat For Humanity, an organization that works to build and repair simple, decent, affordable houses for low-income families around the world.
29 Men From Wayfair Grew Mustaches For Good Causes in 2010
This year, 29 employees of Wayfair (which was called CSN Stores at the time) participated in Movember, an international event to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues. The rules are simple: start November 1st clean-shaven and commit to growing a mustache (no beards or goatees allowed!) for the next 30 days. The mustache becomes a banner for men's health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised.
For many CSNers this was the first – and only time – they've had a mustache, with Boston team captain Jonathan Chiou being the only person to have participated in Movember before. From Fu Manchus to barely-there fuzz, the 'staches were as unique as the participants, which included members of customer service, marketing, public relations, operations, and even two VPs. The 26-person Boston team, CSN 'Staches USA, raised $7,999, which earned them a ranking as 99th in the country. When combined with the efforts of the 3-man team in our Galway, Ireland office, CSNer’s raised a total of $8,078 for Movember. This impressive figure was made possible with the help of a generous matching donation of $2,000 by CSN founders Niraj Shah and Steve Conine.
The funds raised by the Boston team will go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and to LIVESTRONG. The PCF uses the money raised by Movember to fund research to accelerate the discovery of better treatments and work towards finding a cure for prostate cancer. LIVESTRONG puts the funds towards programs that support young adults and their families in their battle against testicular cancer. The funds raised by the Galway team will go to the Irish Cancer Society, who will put the money towards their ACP program, the leading provider of prostate cancer information and support in Ireland.
Not only did the mustaches of Movember bring a lot of laughs to the office, the campaign meant a lot to its participants. CSN's Chuck Casto, VP of Communications, said, Movember is a great cause and I'm doing it to support my father
50+ Employees Compete in the 2010 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge
On June 24th, over 50 employees from Wayfair (which was called CSN Stores at the time) ran in the 2010 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, the largest road race held entirely within the Boston city limits. This fun and fitness-focused 3.5 mile race draws well over 12,000 runners and walkers every year.
The JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series celebrates team work, and unlike other road races, you can not enter the Corporate Challenge as an individual. The event is held on a weeknight, immediately after work, so companies and their employees can come together in a healthy, camaraderie-filled environment.
Although the air was muggy and hot this year (typical June in Boston), everyone from CSN Stores finished the race with a smile. The lead CSNer, Victoria Barnaby, finished in just over 21 minutes, and came in 7th place overall in the women category for the entire race! CSN Stores’ Co-Founder’s kids could even be seen on the sidelines with ‘Go CSN!’ signs, encouraging everyone to run their best.
2010 marked the third year in a row that the online retail leader had over 50 employees compete and finish the challenge. The Corporate Challenge benefited Camp Harbor View, a Boston day camp that serves over 600 inner-city youths, ages 11-14.
10 Toned CSNers Run the Boston Marathon for Charity
This year a whopping 10 CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) finished the 114th Boston Marathon. While the marathon was a first for some and one of many for others, together the 10 CSNers earned almost $50,000 for causes including Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Pictured at left, Top row: Matt Monks, Lauren Norton, Brendan Biggers, Brent Matthews, and Molly Fiztgerald. Bottom Row: Mike O’Hanlon, Janeen Braga, Sarah Donner, Michaela Sullivan, and Annie Chen.
Food Drive Brings in Over 590 Pounds of Food
Earlier this month, CSN (now Wayfair) participated in 4-H's annual Holiday Food Drive, helping the organization meet their state-wide goal of 21,000 pounds. All donations went to the Greater Boston Food Bank, the e;largest hunger-relief organization in New England and one of the largest food banks in the country.
CSN held a company wide challenge to see what floor could donate the most food. After nearly three weeks of close competition, CSN had donated over 590 pounds, with the winning floor (16) coming in at 230. On top of that, CSN also donated $1,000 to the Food Bank to buy fresh produce and other perishable items.
25 Employees Participate in the 2009 Light the Night Walk
In late October, a group of 25 CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk. On top of the strong showing on walk night – a beautiful, breezy fall evening – the CSN team also raised over $3,300, bringing their two-year tally to $5,300+. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer and their mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The Light the Night walk is the society’s biggest even and a night for the nation to pay tribute and bring hope to people battling cancer.
We love participating in this walk and look forward to it every year, said walker Will Flanagan. We can’t wait to raise even more for the LLS in 2010!
60+ Employees Compete in the 2009 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge
Last week, over 60 employees from Wayfair (which was called CSN Stores at the time) ran in the 2009 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, the largest road race held entirely within the Boston city limits. This fun and often congested 3.5 mile race drew over 12,000 runners and walkers.
CSN Stores was one of 651 Boston-based companies to participate. With the weather cooperating, the fast-paced loop around iconic Commonwealth Avenue proved a breeze for many CSN runners. The lead CSNer maintained a blistering 6 minute mile pace, clocking in at just over 21 minutes.
Though the members of the CSN team were scattered throughout the race, every runner wore a 'Run Hard, Shop Easy' gray t shirt, making it easy to spot these speedy sellers. 2009 marked the second year in a row that the online retail leader had over 60 employees compete and finish the challenge.
The '09 Corporate Challenge benefited Camp Harbor View, a day camp that serves over 600 inner-city youths, ages 11-14. Located on Long Island in Boston Harbor, this camp provides an opportunity for children from Boston's at-risk neighborhoods to experience the joys of summer day camp in a beautiful and safe location in their own city. CSN Stores is proud to participate in an event that benefits such a great cause and we look forward to next year's race!
Employees March Again, Participate in '09 March for Babies
A few weeks ago, a handful of CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) participated in the March of Dimes' annual fundraiser, the March for Babies. A fun, family event, the March is a three mile walk held in the heart of Boston. The organization is dedicated to improving the health of babies – through the prevention of premature births, infant mortality, and birth defects – and the walk is the Dimes' largest, most popular event.
This year, team CSN Stores joined a record number of walkers and raised over $4,560, bringing their two year total north of $10,000! Though the day started off a bit rainy, the 10 CSN walkers were greeted with beautiful weather right as the March began. And though one CSNer was across the pond, employee Julia DeBernardo walked 3 miles in Ireland on the day of the event – making it truly a global initiative.
Marcie DiChiara and her son Julian were team captains for the second year in a row. It was such an honor to participate in the March for Babies for the second year in a row- officially making it a CSN annual event, says DiChiara. I was so happy to be joined by my colleagues and family and incredibly proud of everyone's fundraising efforts. Together we were able to count on CSN Stores to match whatever we could raise - and we had a lot of fun doing it!
Employees Team Up with Home for Little Wanderers for Landscaping Project
In early May, twelve CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) put on their gardening gloves and helped the maintenance crew at the Home for Little Wanderers with their spring cleaning duties. The group went from one end of the property to the other, weeding and mulching along the way. They spread over 10 yards of mulch, leaving the area, as the director of the Home, Collen Fitzpatrick, wrote, looking spectacular. CSN also donated $200 towards the effort.
This was the second time CSN has paired up with the Home; they ran their holiday toy drive through this organization back in December. The Home for Little Wanderers is a nationally renowned, private, non-profit child and family service agency. Their Knights Children Center – the location where the CSNers volunteered – is both a school and residential hall that serves boys and girls ages 5 through 13 who have serious emotional, behavioral, and learning problems.
I can't remember the last time I was up before 9 a.m. on a Saturday, but the sleepiness just melted away once we got going, says team member Mitch Cote-Crosskill. The extra incentive came when we saw some of the kids outside playing and we realized why it was we were there.
Running for Research: Five Fit CSNers Complete Boston Marathon for ALF and BMC
On April 20th, four CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) finished the Boston Marathon with the American Liver Foundation's Run for Research (RFR) Team. For over two decades the RFR, one of the oldest and largest marathon teams in the Boston Athletic Association's official charity program, has helped raise critical funds in the fight against liver disease.
CSNers Mike O'Hanlon, Lindsay Allsop, Sarah Donner, and Lauren Norton battled the hills and chilly weather for the 113th running of the iconic marathon. Their efforts off the pavement were equally as impressive, raising more than $20,000 for RFR. They even held a fun event a few months back at a local bar, encouraging friends and co-workers to donate and support the cause. CSN contributed $4,000 to the runner's fantastic fundraising effort.
These four were not the only CSNers running for a cause. Pat Davis ran for the Boston Medical Center, New England's largest safety net hospital. Pat also helped organize the event listed above and raised over $3,000 for the BMC!
Finishing the Boston Marathon was one of the most rewarding experiences, says Norton. Running for the American Liver Foundation helped me keep one foot in front of the other knowing the patients we are helping may never have the opportunity.
CSN Teams Up with the Home for Little Wanderers for Holiday Toy Drive
For this year's toy drive, CSN (now Wayfair) teamed up with The Home for Little Wanderers, a local organization that strives to ensure the healthy, emotional, mental, and social development of children at risk throughout Massachusetts. This holiday season, the Home allowed donators to order gifts online and ship them to their location, a perfect format for CSN's Web-savvy, e-shopping experienced workforce. Employees accessed over 200 CSN sites to find items that were on many 'Little Wanderers' Wish Lists.'
Once all the toys were shipped and the final numbers were tallied, CSN matched the total value of the contributions. So, on top of all the great toys and housewares sent, CSN donated an additional $2,000.
It was great that we were able to use our e-tailing expertise for the toy drive, said CSN Toy Drive Organizer Eliza Skinner. We were able to send a lot of 'wish list' gifts that you can't typically find at the local mall. We couldn't be happier that The Home set up its toy drive like this and we look forward to working with them in the future.
CSN Helps Struggling Female Artists from Developing Countries
On November 22, employees from CSN (now Wayfair) attended a fundraising event for the recently founded Boston chapter of Nest. CSN Stores generously donated The Kartell Stone Stool and The Kartell Maui Side Chair (sold on www.allmodern.com, a CSN Store) as complementary raffle prizes. Guests bid on art work by CSN employees Lucy Nadeau and Staci Coleman at the event's silent auction to raise funds for Nest Boston.
Nest is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting female artists and artisans in the developing world. To do this, Nest provides micro-credit loans to be used for the purchase of the supplies and materials necessary to begin and/or maintain art or craft-based businesses. The funds for these loans are generated from events such as this one and by selling unique products produced exclusively for Nest by a group of artists and designers. In addition, the recipients of Nest loans also make their crafts available to Nest as repayment for the micro-credit loans. All Nest products can be purchased through www.buildanest.com.
We had 11 CSN employees turn out for this event said Lauren Arkema, one of the event's organizers at CSN Stores. I was pleased to see the spirit of CSN come through in support of female entrepreneurs in the developing world who are challenged by lack of economic status and are without high level education. I think by encouraging and recognizing women professionally and financially, the more successful a village or business will become. Let us all continue to encourage each other to build on our natural talents and invest in each other in order to produce and maintain business. For more information on how you can get involved in your area visit the Nest Web site at www.buildanest.com.
CSN 'Lights the Night' and Walks for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
On October 2nd, nearly 20 CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 'Light the Night Walk,' raising nearly $2,200 dollars for this terrific cause. CSN also held an in-house raffle for four Bruins tickets to help drive contributions and increase awareness.
The Lymphoma Society's mission is to help raise funds to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and improve the quality of life for patients and their families. The society's 'Light the Night Walk,' held nationwide in countless communities throughout the year, is one of the organization's biggest events. Participants walk for a short distance in twilight, holding illuminated balloons - white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for in memory. More than a walk, the evening includes music, food and family festivities.
The walk was really a special event, said Team Captain Will Flanagan. Everyone had a lot of fun and I think we were all moved by the flood of people and balloons on the Boston Commons, especially the gold ones. We look forward to doing it again next year.
69 Employees Make Splash at Rainy JPMorgan Chase's 25th Annual Corporate Challenge
Some of the most athletic runners at CSN Stores (now Wayfair), including Chairman and Co-Founder Steven Conine, participated in the hugely popular JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, a 3-mile run on June 26th, which attracted a sell-out crowd of 12,000 runners from 633 companies. Though the Corporate Challenge celebrated its 25th anniversary with this race, this was the first time that CSNers participated. Based on the huge turnout and the fun had by all, this race probably marks the beginning of many years of CSNers running in the Corporate Challenge.
The JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge is held in 12 cities on five continents and is expected to raise $600,000 for a number of charities this year. The charity to benefit from Boston's event is Camp Harbor View. This organization offers children from at-risk neighborhoods an experience that encourages them to grow, learn and have fun - all in a beautiful camp setting on Long Island in Boston Harbor.
A portion of each entry fee for the race, determined by JPMorgan Chase, will go to Camp Harbor View. In total, CSN Stores and individual CSNers contributed more than $2,400 to the Corporate Challenge by participating in the race this year.
CSN's own Melissa Sherman came in second place among all of the women runners, which is quite an accomplishment, given all of the participants in this race.
CSNer Molly Fitzgerald organized CSN's participation in the massive event, down to printing T-shirts for the event that read: Shop Easy, Run Hard. Special kudos go to Molly for her incredible dedication to the effort and her patience in recruiting such a large number of runners.
Employees Lend A Hand For The Serve-a-Thon
On June 7th, over 3,000 citizens in the Greater Boston area helped bring new life to schools, playgrounds, vacant lots, housing developments, and parks. Serve-a-thon, Boston's premier community service event, was attended by 30 CSN (now Wayfair) employees. Serve-a-thon sends groups of volunteers to one of four Boston neighborhoods where participants engage in projects such as mural painting, landscaping, trash removal, picnic table construction, and many more.
CSN's energetic group of volunteers was stationed in South Boston where they helped paint a number of playground structures. The group then traveled to Condon Elementary School where they repaired and renewed a kickball field. The weather was shining, spirits were high, and the day finished a great success.
Employees Participate in the March for Babies
The March of Dimes recently held its annual March for Babies in downtown Boston. This three-mile walk around the Charles River was attended by over 35 CSN Stores (now Wayfair) employees. With the contributions from coworkers and a matching donation from CSN Stores, these walkers raised more than $7,000 for the March of Dimes.
A true family event, many employees brought along mothers, brothers, sisters and significant others to participate in the walk. The March of Dimes is dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. The March for Babies, formerly known as WalkAmerica, is the organization's biggest event and has helped raise more than $1.7 billion since its inaugural walk in 1970.
CSN Employee Marcie DiChiara and her eight-month-old son, Julian, were team captains for the event. The March of Dimes is an organization that is very close to our hearts, said Marcie. As parents of a preemie, we experienced first-hand just how vital the March of Dimes really is -- so it was particularly special for us to be a part of this event. We were so pleased and grateful for the turnout and generosity of my CSN colleagues, who where so amazing at generating more than $7,000! I'm really proud of the entire group, and we had a great time participating.
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Over 60 Volunteers and 46 Pints of Blood!
CSN Stores (now Wayfair) recently organized an American Red Cross blood drive at the office that was deemed one of the most enthusiastic corporate blood drives that the American Red Cross has ever seen. Dedicated CSNers helped staff the booth, schedule donation times, and gave blood. The Red Cross successfully collected 46 pints of blood, and that's way above average for a first-time donation site! The American Red Cross staff was impressed with the turnout and everyone's friendly attitude. We plan to host another one soon.
Some four million people give blood–the gift of life–through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. And the Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty to stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 186 national societies, the Red Cross helps to restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people.
National Furniture Bank of America
Corporate Sponsor
Wayfair (formerly CSN Stores) is a proud sponsor of the National Furniture Bank of America. Their Help1Up program is the first industry-wide charitable fundraising effort in the furniture business. Furniture banks collect home furnishings from the general public, and then donate them to children and families experiencing insufferable hardship, such as mothers escaping domestic violence, victims of natural disasters and families living below the poverty line. In fact, furniture banks served over 40,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
Friends of Titus Sparrow Park
A long-time resident of Durham Street, Titus Sparrow cared deeply for his neighborhood in the South End. He was a devoted tennis player, and began tennis programs for children at nearby Carter Field. Titus Sparrow helped to form the Sportsmen's Tennis Club, which for decades has provided city children with the opportunity to learn the game at no cost. In 1956, he became the first African-American umpire of the United States Tennis Association. He officiated at the Davis Cup, the U.S. Open, and the Longwood Tennis Club in Brookline. He planned to give free tennis lessons on the court in the new park. At a time when city officials paid little attention to poor minority areas, he encouraged his neighbors to be politically active and take responsibility for their community. He died before the park was completed in 1976. Because of his commitment to his community, the park, which includes a tennis court, was named in his honor.
Wayfair (formerly CSN Stores) is an annual sponsor of the Summer Concert Series at the park.
Community Servings Pie in the Sky Event
CSN Pie-Sorting Volunteers
Over a dozen CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) and volunteers from around the city helped sort and box 13,000 pies for Community Servings' annual Pie in the Sky event held at The Castle in Boston's Park Plaza. Pies were donated by local restaurants and proceeds from the event supported Community Servings, a local, non-profit organization that serves meals to over 700 individuals and families who are homebound with acute, life-threatening illnesses.
Boston Food Bank
Several members of the CSN (now Wayfair) community traveled to the Boston Food Bank to help sort and package donated food on its way to local families in need. Our group sorted thousands of pounds of food, which amounted to several hundred meals. The experience was rewarding for everyone involved and is something that we plan to do again in 2008!
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
A team of 14 CSNers (as they were called before CSN Stores became Wayfair) ran or walked in the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure. With less than a week to prepare, the team raised $1,870 in total, thanks to sponsorship from CSN and impressive personal fundraising efforts by each of the participants. Our top fundraiser was Paul Toms, followed closely by Melissa Sherman. Melissa, by the way, also came in 16th in the 5K race overall!
Stay tuned for additional updates during 2008 of new, cause-related endeavors involving dedicated CSNers.