Supporting the communities in which we live and work isn’t just something we do at Citrix to check the Corporate Social Responsibility box. It’s part of our DNA and what makes us unique. When natural disasters strike, we quickly move to figure out how and where we might be able to help, and our global teams willingly and generously contribute money and time to disaster relief efforts that can make a difference in the lives of those affected.

I joined Citrix as Lead Corporate Citizenship Specialist working from our Bangalore office two years ago because of this culture of giving. Working together with local site leadership and our global Corporate Citizenship team, my job is to coordinate responses to crises across India. We’ve seen our share over the last two years — from devastating floods and earthquakes to terrorist attacks. But nothing compares to what we are witnessing today as COVID-19 continues its rapid spread.

The global pandemic is a public health emergency the likes of which the world hasn’t experienced since the Spanish Flu that killed millions more than a hundred years ago. And it is unlike anything I have ever helped to manage. There isn’t anyone who isn’t somehow touched by it. One minute, we were all heading to the office or our local coffee shop to work, dining out with friends and visiting family. The next, we were locked down in our homes wondering what the future holds.

When the deadly virus reached India in March, I was completely overwhelmed. As caretaker for my elderly father who has cancer and a family of my own to look after, I had to figure out how to navigate in a world that has seemingly been turned upside down and shaken like a snow globe. I worried about how I was going to keep everyone healthy and safe. And that’s when work for me became personal.

I am fortunate enough to have a job and an employer that deeply cares about my mental, physical and financial wellbeing and provides the resources I need to care for my extended family. I have a home and plenty of food. If I was feeling so rattled, I could not imagine the anxiety those who were not in such a good position were experiencing. And I wanted to help them immediately.

Turns out, I wasn’t alone. Within hours of the government mandate to work from home being issued, our leadership was flooded with questions from employees as to what we planned to do to aid the community in such unprecedented times.

Every year, we run salary deduction drives to support those afflicted by in-country disasters. It has become kind of an unsaid practice for our employees. So it only made sense to launch an appeal to tackle this global crisis. And launch it fast.

Working with our committee of community ambassadors — comprised of employees across all levels and organizations — we selected 11 charities that provide support in the most critical areas of need and put the full court press on our vendor to vet them. And they completed a process that normally takes 10 to 12 business days in just five.

Employees were given the opportunity to donate one day’s salary or any amount of their choice to support these organizations in the month of April. In true Citrix fashion, their response was swift and generous. And corporate stepped up to match their contributions 2:1.

The drive raised 1.25 Crore, or nearly $165,000 USD. And the impact we have made has been incredible. Together, we helped:

  • 15,500 frontline healthcare workers by providing face masks, shields, personal protective equipment and daily lunches.
  • 4,000 migrant workers and families in need by providing essentials and cash support for several weeks.
  • 800 elderly and individuals with special needs by providing food and medical essentials.
  • 450 transgender families by providing relief packages and ration kits.
  • 75 waste pickers by providing personal hygiene kits and masks

It was wonderful to see how fast we were able to move the needle and to hear from our charity partners on the difference we are making.

As Anjali Chauhan, Head of Fundraising and Communication for Vidyaranya, a nonprofit that provides various services to ensure the health and wellbeing of children, women, and senior citizens, told me, “The times are difficult, and we are struggling to meet the needs of our beneficiaries. We desperately needed help providing them with groceries. Citrix not only understood our problem, but responded with remarkable urgency. And it is because of your support that we will be able to provide food to 174 people for three months.”

And as Rajesh Srinivas, Executive Director of Sangama, a charity partner serving the transgender community relayed, “The COVID-19 pandemic, under which most of the world is currently reeling, has caused an unprecedented upheaval in the lives of transgender people who already exist on the margins of society, being ignored and ostracized even in normal times. They are finding it even harder to make ends meet and provide for those who are dependent on them. With the support of Citrix, we will be distributing ration kits to 450 transgender families to help them through these difficult times.”

We know it is not practical to reach everyone affected by this wicked pandemic — or any natural disaster. But every penny makes a difference. Citrites understand this. And it is what makes me most proud to be among the ranks.