Company wide volunteer day

This is a proposal to have a company wide volunteer day where folks from all over the world participate in some sort of volunteer activity.

It would also be great to have repeating volunteer events - maybe once a quarter. This will not only help the community, but allow folks to participate in something they might not have done otherwise. It will likely help build camaraderie between GitLabbers in the same city.

Here are some notes/ideas taken during the volunteer workshop at the NOLA Contribute:

1. Consider having a global volunteer day
   • Post pictures of folks volunteering around the world
   • Maybe #gitlabvolunteers
   • Blog post?
2. Consider having more frequent volunteer events in local cities
   • Even half day once a quarter
3. Volunteer while at contribute?
   • Legal issues?
4. Help other small businesses with IT, finance, etc
5. Provide volunteer services for specific talents (e.g. coding, accounting, writing resumes)
   • Prisons
   • Developer academies
6. Blood drive week
   • Pretty accessible
   • Lots of folks can donate, many don’t
   • Good way to try a new experience - possibly get over fears
   • It is likely that some of our coworkers have needed a blood transfusion.
7. “Trashtag”
   • Don’t leave the beach without picking up a bag of trash
   • Leave a hike with garbage you found along the way
   • GitLab take a walk (get away from computer), pick up trash
     • Huge environmental impact with current number of employees

Actions taken so far:

1. set up #giveback slack channel
2. set up blood donation tracking g-spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bMV_forQOD2rSH4QDePt1p3vpHku9jt4MxH-ieaGWbE/edit?usp=sharing