Arthrex employees are making an impact beyond the workplace through ongoing volunteer efforts with Meals of Hope, a Southwest Florida nonprofit dedicated to fighting hunger and food insecurity.
Over the past year, employees from across the company have partnered with Meals of Hope through both team volunteer activities and an annual company-wide food packing event. Founded in 2007, Meals of Hope operates food pantries throughout Southwest Florida and has helped provide more than 100 million meals to individuals and families in need.
Most recently, 100 employees, summer interns and co-ops participated in the fifth annual Arthrex Meals of Hope food packing event at the Arthrex global headquarters campus in Naples. During the two-hour event, volunteers packed and sealed more than 30,000 bags of apple cinnamon oatmeal that will be distributed throughout Southwest Florida.
"What really stood out to me was the chance to work alongside employees from different teams who I don't usually get to interact with," said Doug Bloch, Arthrex Software Engineer Principal. "It made this even more rewarding because we were building connections while helping others. It's a great way to give back and strengthen the sense of community at Arthrex."
For many participants, the event highlighted the company's culture of service and collaboration.
"Volunteering with Meals of Hope during my Arthrex internship was a rewarding opportunity to give back to the community while connecting with my colleagues through a shared service experience," said Emilia Mazzola, Product Development Engineering Intern. "It truly reflected Arthrex's culture of teamwork and service, where making a positive impact extends beyond the company and into the communities we serve."
In addition to the annual company event, smaller employee teams regularly use the Arthrex Volunteer PTO benefit to support organizations throughout the community. Through this program, employees can take up to one paid day each calendar year to volunteer with qualifying nonprofit organizations and charitable causes.
Earlier this year, members of the Quality Systems and Global Alignment teams volunteered at another Meals of Hope employee meal-packing event, where nine employees packed more than 300 nutritious meals.
"It was such a meaningful experience," said Stacy Engle, Arthrex Quality Systems Analyst II. "Participating together and preparing meals to make a tangible difference in the lives of those facing food insecurities was inspiring, rewarding and humbling."
Victoria Morgan, Arthrex Senior Quality Systems Analyst, said the experience demonstrated the power of teamwork.
"Together, we packed over 300 nutritious meals in just two hours by quickly organizing into an efficient assembly line," she said. "This experience strengthened our team dynamic while also allowing us to contribute to an important cause."
These volunteer opportunities align with Arthrex's core value of Making People Better and its commitment to supporting the communities where employees live and work. By partnering with organizations such as Meals of Hope, Arthrex employees are helping provide essential resources to local families while demonstrating the company's culture of service, collaboration and community engagement.