New England-based Consolidated employees volunteer nearly 2,000 hours in 2022; Company recognizes efforts during National Volunteer Week
Vermont Business Magazine Consolidated Communications (Nasdaq: CNSL) is celebrating and thanking its employees for volunteering in the communities where they live and work, during National Volunteer Week (April 16-22).
Across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, Consolidated employees volunteered nearly 2,000 hours with more than 50 organizations in 2022. One such volunteer, Dennis Barr, OSP Engineer at Consolidated, turned his love for sports into a way to help young athletes.
The Greater Hartford Youth Football Association is a non-profit youth sports program serving the White River Junction, area. Each year about 50 kids in grades four through six, participate in the youth football program. The organization is volunteer-run, with coaches, like Barr, keeping the program going. For Barr, coaching is his way of giving back and helping the next generation of football players.
“I played football in high school and started coaching as a way to help in my community,” said Barr. “The football program was important to me for many reasons, so to this is my way of paying it forward. There are a lot of kids who need a positive, consistent role model and over the course of a season, the team becomes like a family. These kids learn lessons like working as a team, personal accountability, and ‘you get out of it, what you put into it.’”
Barr has been a football coach for the last six seasons, focusing on offensive and defensive line instruction for both of the organization’s teams. He is one of five volunteer coaches for the program.
“Whether on the job or in their local communities, our employees truly make a difference and are committed to helping others,” said Jeffrey Austin, senior director of fiber build strategy at Consolidated. “We are proud to support our employees in their efforts to give back and volunteer with local organizations that make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. We thank all our employee volunteers for their commitment to service in their communities.”
Last year, Consolidated employees volunteered more than 6,600 hours with nearly 200 organizations across the company’s 20-plus state service area. Since 2019, Consolidated employees have reported more than 33,000 hours of volunteer service.
To further support and recognize employee volunteers, Consolidated created the CCI Cares Program in 2022. Through CCI Cares, the company makes contributions of $250 to local non-profits for each employee who volunteers 25 or more hours. During the program’s first year, Consolidated contributed a combined total of $10,500 to 42 organizations.
“Volunteerism and company giving are deeply held values at Consolidated,” said Austin. “The CCI Cares Program is our way of supporting those organizations that are important to our employees and their local communities.”
Overall, the company contributed more than $1.8 million in community support in 2022, in addition to expanding fiber broadband to more than 200 rural communities. To learn more about Consolidated Communications’ CCI Cares program, employee volunteerism and more community programs, visit https://www.consolidated.com/about-us/community-matters.
About Consolidated Communications
Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNSL) is dedicated to moving people, businesses and communities forward by delivering the most reliable fiber communications solutions. Consumers, businesses and wireless and wireline carriers depend on Consolidated for a wide range of high-speed internet, data, phone, security, cloud and wholesale carrier solutions. With a network spanning 58,000 fiber route miles, Consolidated is a top 10 U.S. fiber provider, turning technology into solutions that are backed by exceptional customer support. Learn more at consolidated.com. Connect with us on social media.
Source: BURLINGTON, Vt. – April 19, 2023 – Consolidated Communications
