2020 Buildertrend giving year in review

2020 was a year like no other. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, the last twelve months were filled with unprecedented challenges that changed the way we live, work and brought about new opportunities to rise up and help others.

Like most companies, Buildertrend wasn’t immune to the impacts of 2020.

We helped construction teams navigate the pandemic with expert advice from our COVID-19 resource hub. The entire company started working from home – and still is. And, one of the accomplishments we’re most proud of, our employees stepped up and gave back to the community during a time when help was needed most. There’s a lot not to like about 2020 – but our workforce’s relentless drive to give back is something worth remembering.

“I think a lot of the inspiration for giving back this year in particular is based on the good fortune we enjoy to have jobs that we love, while many of us have had friends or family members suffer because of the pandemic,” said Brandy Menaugh, Buildertrend’s vice president of people.

“I have heard a lot of comments about ‘just wanting to do something’ to help those in need. So, we have tried to find creative ways to safely make an impact while also educating our people about the great work being done by numerous organizations in Omaha. There is no shortage of opportunities to contribute, and that is what is really amazing about Omaha.”

Buildertrend’s mantra is to find a better way. That goes for the construction industry we serve and the community in which we thrive. BT Cares, our companywide social responsibility initiative, encourages all employees to do their small part to make a big impact through donations, sponsorships and volunteering.

What has that impact looked like in 2020? To date, the team has supported dozens of causes, each one supporting one of our four pillars of philanthropy: housing and basic needs, support for children, local impact and STEM education and women in tech.

A few of the highlights include:

• Habitat for Humanity of Omaha Brew Haha: As part of a longtime relationship between Buildertrend and Habitat, we were the presenting sponsor of this weeklong virtual event that supported the organization’s mission to build affordable housing for those in need.
• Bud Crawford Ping Pong Tournament: At our headquarters, we hosted a ping pong tournament for our employees and Bud Crawford. During it, we contributed $10,000 to B&B Sports Academy, a nonprofit gym dedicated to building the character of young people, including at-risk youth.
• Australian Red Cross Bushfire Disaster Relief: Donated $5,000 to the Australian Red Cross, which provides aid to those seeking relief from the devastating Australia wildfires.
• Heart Ministry Center: Over the course of five weeks, our employees passed out food and paper goods to those affected by poverty who rely on this local nonprofit for basic necessities, healthcare and a way forward.
• Nebraska Community Blood Bank: Twice this year, Buildertrend employees masked up and made it out to the Nebraska Community Blood Bank to donate blood during a time where it’s never been more necessary.
• First-ever virtual Buildertrend 5K: With a match from the company, employees who participated in this event were asked to make a donation to one of four causes: Abide Omaha, The Big Garden, CASA for Douglas County and Prairie STEM.
• Adopt-a-Family campaign: To help make Christmas possible for community members in need, our employee-driven campaign raised nearly $3,500.

We can’t forget to mention We 💙 Buildertrend either. Throughout September and October, we hosted an entire season of events focused on employee engagement, Volunteer Time Off opportunities and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. This celebration was all about showing love to employees and the greater Omaha community. The stats from this series of programming speak for themselves:

• $3,030 raised for four local nonprofits
• 759 pounds of food donated to the Food Bank for the Heartland
• 160 hours volunteered with the Heart Ministry Center
• 62 lunches donated to Youth Emergency Services
• 54 lunches donated to Sienna Francis House
• 32 blood donors through Nebraska Community Blood Bank
• 20 events over six weeks

“I think the Buildertrend culture is one that celebrates its wins and accomplishments, but also recognizes that rarely do we ever do anything alone. Giving back, in whatever way we can, helps connect our team members with the Omaha community in a meaningful way, and these efforts are even more critical now with our renewed focus on being more inclusive, diverse and equitable,” Menaugh said.

Buildertrend hopes to make an even bigger impact in 2021. Volunteer Time Off for each employee will double from eight hours to 16, allowing teams to take more time away from work to do community service.

“VTO was initially offered as a way for our people to get together to do some team building, and while that is an important perk of our culture, we hope that it becomes more of an expectation of being a Buildertrend employee,” Menaugh said.

“Our hope is that by offering two full workdays to each employee, it provides both an opportunity for teams to contribute together while also allowing individuals to find organizations and causes they are passionate about and may be interested in helping on their own time.”

If employees haven’t used all their VTO yet for 2020, there’s still time. Menaugh encourages all employees to use every last minute of VTO – and what better time than the season of giving?

“The impact that we can make as individuals and collectively should not be understated. It feels good to do something for others, especially in a time where so many of our community members are in need.  Every minute of time, every dollar you give, is making a positive impact on this community, and we can all find ways to make a difference.”

About The Author

Sean Robinson Sean Robinson is a senior content marketing specialist at Buildertrend