When the Services Team Serves: SUSE Gives Back

With the holidays upon us, and US Thanksgiving a few days away, it’s nice to sit back and simply be grateful. Here at SUSE we have much to be grateful for. The list includes our amazing internal teams, partners and customers,  a culture of openness within and outside the company, and Per, I am grateful that I work with a team at SUSE that really believes that the word “services” means so much more than professional services. That team is SUSE Global Services and our leadership believes that we have an obligation to give back as our way of giving thanks.

Personally, I am grateful that I work with a team at SUSE that really believes that the word “services” means so much more than professional services. That team is SUSE Global Services and our leadership believes that we have an obligation to give back as our way of giving thanks.

Twice a year, our entire services team gets  together for a week of intensive training on new products features and functions.  They also share best practices and technology trends. It’s one way our team is positioned to help you transform your company.

Services Gives Back

But a little known secret is that this team sneaks away during their training week to donate time to a worthy cause. This week, the team spent some time volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They did a myriad of tasks including receiving donations, preparing donations to go out on the floor and pricing.  It was a rewarding experience that not only gives back to the community but also brings the team closer together.

For those of you that don’t know about this organization, Habitat ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores and donation centers. The items they sell are available to the public and similar to what you may see in other home good stores, with one key difference. The purpose of Habitat ReStores is to contribute to the work of Habitat for Humanity and help fund Habitat for Humanity’s mission to end substandard housing by building strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Profits from Habitat ReStores are put to use both in local communities and around the world.

If you don’t know about Habitat for Humanity, their mission is “We build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.”  I would boil that down to security, stability, and security.  The experts provide these key reasons:

• Students from low-income families who change schools frequently are at risk of lower math scores and can be overall more likely to drop out.
• bout 1 in 4 people worldwide live in conditions that harm health, safety, prosperity and opportunities.
• Children who live in homes with leaking roofs, broken windows, rodents, nonfunctioning heaters or stoves, peeling paint, exposed wiring, or unsafe or unclean environments often experience greater emotional and behavioral problems.

You can find the full list of reasons here. Learn more about Habitat for Humanity here.

Giving Tuesday is Fast Approaching!

As we approach US Thanksgiving and the frenzy of the holidays, I urge you to remember that Giving Tuesday is November 27.  Let’s pause for a moment and remember how fortunate we are and how we can help others.

As William Churchill once said,

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”