DENVER, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleTech Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TeleTech), a leading global provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions, today shared information related to its 2016 contributions to the community through the TeleTech Community Foundation (TTCF). The foundation, now in its tenth year, has been ranked as one of the top 10 corporate foundations in Colorado for total contributions made to local charities.
Grants awarded by the foundation in 2016 impacted 75,000 students across 62 organizations around the globe, aimed at supporting and transforming educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. Local impact for students in Colorado included a technology grant for University Preparatory School for purchase of iPads and funding to support a classroom teaching assistant, as well as a separate donation of 300 books to students in need through Book Trust. Other ongoing community partnerships include the Denver Art Museum, Denver School of Science and Technology, and STRIVE Preparatory School.
"TeleTech works with clients every day to bring humanity to the customer experience. Extending that care and connection to the communities in which we serve through the TeleTech Community Foundation helps keep us true to our company values to lead every day and do the right thing," said Michael Wellman, Chief People Officer, TeleTech. "Through TTCF, we are proud to partner with and contribute to organizations who ensure that students in underserved communities around the world have access to the tools and support they need to grow and thrive."
The TeleTech Community Foundation was established to support employees' passion for making a sustainable and positive impact in their communities. Every year the foundation awards grants to local nonprofit organizations that strive to transform the educational experience for students of greatest need. The program is employee-driven, meaning any TeleTech employee worldwide can sponsor a nonprofit organization focused on education in their community by submitting a grant request to the foundation.
TeleTech chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ken Tuchman, was honored in November 2016 with the Dream Maker award from the Denver-based "I Have a Dream" Foundation for his work with TTCF. The "I Have a Dream" Foundation provides long-term support to children and youth living in under-resourced communities to achieve their full potential, by promoting from an early age, values of higher education and career success, with opportunity guaranteed through financial resources, and other services. The Dream Maker award is given annually to a community leader whose commitment to quality education has an enduring impact on area youth.
Here are just a few examples of 2016 grants awarded globally by the TeleTech Community Foundation:
Arkansas
- Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce – Support of the local Workforce Development annual projects.
- Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas – Grant awarded in support of a project which provides weekend hunger relief by improving access to nutritious food in backpacks during the school year for some of the most vulnerable children in the Jonesboro school district. Funds were used to purchase nutritious food to fill the backpacks for students from the Micro-Society Elementary, where 98.6% of students are from economically disadvantaged homes.
Brazil
Brazilian associates supported Associação Educacional e Assistencial Casa do Zezinho through a grant award that was used to buy kitchen equipment and sports material to be used in gastronomy and sports classes/ workshops. The organization's mission is, through education, to enable children and young adults from low-income families, vulnerable settings and in social risk to develop critical thinking and autonomous attitude to make their own decisions in life.
Bulgaria
- 145 Primary School "Simeon Radev" - Funds provided to improve the quality of education and provide equal access to new technology for all students, with purchase of multi-media devices to equip 5 classrooms.
- Rusalya Association - A grant was awarded to purchase technology and equipment for classroom use for this school of arts and crafts for socially disadvantaged children.
Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, the foundation purchased a playground for El Angel Hostel, an organization which supports a population of minors who have been separated from their parents, through an administrative measure that seeks their integral well-being.
Pennsylvania
- Challenge Program, Inc.– Sponsorship provided for The Challenge Program, Inc., with a mission to build sustainable Business/Education partnerships while introducing students to careers in their communities. This partnership contributes to workforce and economic development by motivating students to develop the solid work habits required to succeed in school and in their future careers.
- American Heart Association – Funds awarded in sponsorship of participants in The Heart Walk, a campaign which blends the benefits of physical activity, community involvement and corporate/personal giving.
Philippines
Special recognition of the TeleTech Community Foundation work in this region has been received over the past year. TeleTech Community Foundation was recognized as a valued partner in uplifting the education landscape by the Department of Education in the Philippines in 2016. And more recently, TeleTech received the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) 2017 Outstanding Community Project Award for the work of the TeleTech Foundation and Project Share. This award is given to a locator or developer that has strengthened its relationship with the community through meaningful CSR projects like scholarship programs, free medical and dental services, tree planting, gift giving, or similar pro-community projects.
Some regional projects include:
- TeleTech Run in Sync (Zombie Color Run) and Hope in a Red TeleTech Backpack - A record 3,107 TeleTech employees signed up for the event this year, and raised $7,200 to provide books and school supplies. Local grade schools in the Philippines were the lucky recipients of school supplies in red backpacks distributed by the local TeleTech leadership team.
- Pasay City North High School – Facilitation provided by TeleTech and client representatives in support of regular learning sessions for topics such as basketball, volleyball, arts & craft, voice, dance, acting, etc.
United Kingdom
Local team members requested a grant for The Ahoy Centre, a watersports charity located in one of London's most deprived communities whose primary objective is to give opportunities for disadvantaged and at-risk young people whilst also providing opportunities for disabled participants to engage in activities and courses on an equal level. Funding was awarded towards costs for the Pathway to Employment apprenticeship program, including instructors, which offers participants the opportunity to learn commercial skills and good citizenship in an inclusive and supportive environment.
West Virginia
- Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club, Inc. – Funds were awarded towards Project Learn - Literacy Skills, supporting purchase of new books for the library, book distribution, and funding for learning program participation with reading specialists and other tutoring opportunities and enrichment activities.
- Children's Home Society of West Virginia – Renovation of recreation areas was made possible through funds awarded by the foundation.
- West Preston School – The grant awarded provided funding for technology purchases to facilitate the development of student skills and attitudes to become motivated learners for the organization, which serves students with low income families, students with physical handicaps, students in poverty, and with low performance on state tests.
Program photos and additional regional resources are available upon request, please contact TeleTech at media@teletech.com. For more information on the TeleTech Community Foundation, please visit http://www.teletech.com/corporate-responsibility/foundation.
ABOUT TeleTech
TeleTech (NASDAQ: TeleTech) is a leading global provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions. Founded in 1982, the Company helps its clients acquire, retain and grow profitable customer relationships. Using customer-centric strategy, technology, processes and operations, TeleTech partners with business leadership across marketing, sales and customer care to design and deliver a simple, more human customer experience across every interaction channel. TeleTech's 48,000 employees live by a set of customer-focused values that guide relationships with clients, their customers, and each other. To learn more about how TeleTech is bringing humanity to the customer experience, visit teletech.com.