In a world where corporate social responsibility has become a guiding principle for many businesses, NextRoll stands out as a beacon of community engagement and genuine impact. NextRoll has been a Circle the Schools (CTS) partner with the San Francisco Education Fund (the Ed Fund) for nearly a decade, during which company volunteers have engaged deeply with its school partner, June Jordan School for Equity (JJSE).
The Ed Fund’s CTS program matches local corporations with public schools to bring volunteers and resources into San Francisco’s highest needs schools. Each CTS company participates in 3-5 volunteer events each year that align with school priorities and company interests while advancing students’ skills and exposing them to career possibilities. Some examples of events include Back to School Setup Day, read-alouds, college application support, and company office visits.
Amy LeBold, Executive Vice President of People at NextRoll, sheds light on the motivation behind the partnership, the significant projects undertaken at JJSE, and the profound impact this collaboration has had on both the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and its broader business goals.
NextRoll employees support with Back to School Setup Day at JJSE
SF Ed Fund (SFEF): How did NextRoll get involved with the Ed Fund’s CTS program, and what motivated your decision to partner with a local public school?
Amy LeBold (AL): NextRoll got involved over nine years ago with the program because we learned about it through an SFCiti event. Giving back to the community, in education specifically, is one of the focus areas of NextRoll’s Give Back program, and the prospect of working with students in the city of San Francisco where our headquarters were located at the time seems to be a great match.
SFEF: Could you highlight one or two significant events or projects that your team has spearheaded as a CTS partner, and elaborate on why they stand out as proud achievements?
AL: Over the years we have done many events and projects with June Jordan School for Equity (JJSE), our partner school. Some standouts are working with students on skills to prepare them for their first job, so running Resume Prep Workshops and Interview Preparation sessions which are led by NextRoll employee volunteers, and having the students teach us about what they are learning about social justice and a specific workshop they led for us on gentrification. It was a very personal and a view of gentrification that many of our employees had not been exposed to. Hearing from students how gentrification in their neighborhoods had impacted them and their families made the lesson all that more powerful.
SFEF: In what ways has the partnership benefited your company, both in terms of corporate social responsibility and business goals?
AL: One of our company values is to “do right in the community,” and being part of the CTS program has allowed us to live up to that expectation. Having a long-term partnership as we have has made it much more meaningful than the more common one-time volunteer events that many companies are limited to participating in. Living up to this company value provides credibility and attracts a special type of talent to want to work for NextRoll. Having a shared sense of values of what you offer to the world outside of your 9-5 job has created a sense of community within the company that really helps employees feel part of a greater purpose, and to contribute meaningfully in their job.
SFEF: What feedback have you received from students, teachers, and schools about the impact the partnership has made at your partner school?
AL: We have had a unique relationship with JJSE over the years and have gotten to know the staff and students very well in that time. We have had students who were part of our first programs back in 2014 go on to graduate, intern with us, and then the relationships and work they have done with us has been credited (by the students) to have influenced their college majors and career pursuits. We also have heard that the staff has appreciated having a partner that can provide things for them that allow them to feel appreciated for their work. We’ve hosted teacher-only team-building events for them to get some time for themselves.
SFEF: Why is it important for San Francisco companies to partner with and support local public schools?
AL: The schools in San Francisco are the connection points for the whole community. Students are our next generation of workers, educators are in need of additional support to help their students thrive, and companies in San Francisco can build greater empathy and perspective in learning from the partnerships with the school community.
SFEF: Anything else you want to share about your experience as a CTS partner?
AL: We love our JJSE partner school and are so grateful that they’ve taught us so much over the years. It’s really a special school and community.
+++
Are you inspired by the transformative power of corporate partnerships with local public schools and eager for your company to meaningfully contribute to the San Francisco community? The Ed Fund is seeking CTS partners for eight high-priority SFUSD schools! Learn how your company can get involved here.
