I wanted to share with you a recent article published in the Times Union:

Corporations engage new employees through organizing as volunteers

Late in October, 350 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals employees linked up with 13 area organizations, volunteering on site and off site. They made blankets for children in need and helped others with science experiments as part of the company's first Day of Service.

"We hire a lot of fresh graduates from university — we know that demographic, which is a big part of our business. They're very in tune to volunteering, and it's a big part of their self-satisfaction," senior director of human resources Christine Childrose said. "We want to make sure that we give them opportunities in order to fulfill themselves, to connect to the company and to the community."

Area tech corporations are using volunteer days to unify team members and connect employees — some of whom are new to the area — to Capital Region service opportunities.

On two weekends in summer 2014, Transfinder employees went to Schenectady to build with Habitat for Humanity. Executive assistant Kelly Burton organized the volunteer opportunity for her co-workers at the company.

"We try to sit down with each new employee and talk to them about the culture of Transfinder," she said. "We talk about the things we do — the events we have here and about volunteering."

SUNY Polytechnic Institute employees and students help prepare a community Thanksgiving dinner for Equinox, and the institution helps students through an array of programs that focus on nanotechnology education among young women, New York students and the Albany City School District, said Jerry Gretzinger, a spokesman.

Outside of corporate link-ups, area nonprofits are using networking events and online calls to action to attract newcomers to the area — many from the technology sector — to volunteer.

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lellis@timesunion.com • 518-454-5018 By Lindsay Ellis

Updated 3:45 am, Thursday, November 19, 2015