Last week, the Ideba team gathered in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for our annual business review. As a fully remote company, these in-person trips are invaluable opportunities to collaborate, strategize, and connect while taking in some truly fantastic Smoky Mountain views. But this year’s trip was more than just business meetings. True to Ideba’s commitment to community service, we organized two meaningful volunteer activities that brought our team together in service to the local community.
Breakfast with First Responders
We started early one morning at the local fire station, where, with the expert guidance of Chef Scott, our chef for the week, we prepared a hearty breakfast for the firefighters on duty. Scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, sausage patties, bacon, fresh fruit, and plenty of coffee filled their debrief room before the emergency calls started rolling in.
Following breakfast, the community liaison and fire chief graciously gave us a tour of their newly built facilities. We learned about their rigorous training regimens, drill exercises, and the daily physical preparation that keeps them ready to serve. It was an eye-opening glimpse into the dedication these first responders bring to protecting their community.
Care Packages for Families in Need
Our team also assembled care packages for local families facing hardship, to be distributed by police officers from the station across the street. Each package included essentials like canned goods, winter socks, first aid supplies, throat lozenges, Visa gift cards, menstrual products, hygiene items, hand sanitizer, and children’s activity books with crayons.
The Impact of Corporate Giving
This experience reinforced something I already knew but felt even more deeply: the importance of giving back, especially during challenging times, and the unique power businesses have to make a meaningful impact when we act collectively. When companies prioritize community service alongside business goals, we create ripples of positive change that extend far beyond our balance sheets.
I’m grateful to be part of a team that values service as much as strategy, and to work for a company that builds giving back into our culture.
Jenna Eisenberg – Research Manager
