At Indianapolis conference, Healthcare Distribution Alliance tries something different: a community service project
INDIANAPOLIS – Several years ago, Michelle Leslie was talking with her boss about an upcoming conference when she proposed a new idea.
Healthcare Distribution Alliance would often give its committee members a golf shirt, umbrella or other small gift at an annual conference as a token of appreciation. But Leslie wondered: How many golf shifts can a person get?
So she suggested something else: What if they hosted an activity that gave back to the local community instead?
In 2020, the Washington, D.C.-based organization donated Bombas socks to a San Diego charity when they hosted a conference there.
Leslie wanted to take it a step further, do something more hands on.
When Healthcare Distribution Alliance came to Indianapolis this month, it partnered with United Way of Central Indiana to offer a service project for conference attendees. Volunteers assembled 1,400 hygiene kits that will go to Indiana Youth Group and Horizon House to support children and those experiencing homelessness.
“I felt that it was important as we travel from city to city doing these conferences that we give back to the local community,” said Leslie, associate director of membership and education for Healthcare Distribution Alliance. “We come and we stay at the hotel, we eat at the restaurants, we may go to a game or two. But what are we doing for the local community?”
In an exhibition hall at the JW Marriott downtown this week, a steady stream of volunteers gathered at two long rows of tables during the lunch hour. They filled Ziploc bags with washcloths, deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes. As a final touch, they slipped personalized messages written on neon notecards into the bags: “There’s always a rainbow after a storm.” “You can do hard things.” “You are a WARRIOR.”
Leslie got connected to United Way of Central Indiana through Eli Lilly and Company, a longtime partner of the nonprofit.
In addition to the service project, Healthcare Distribution Alliance worked with United Way to offer conference goers an immersive learning experience. A United Way staff member led participants through “In One Moment,” a 45-minute interactive program that teaches people about poverty.
Leslie said the program was an “aha moment” for many participants, some of whom shared their own personal experiences. It was a way to get people engaged and give them a sense of what others are going through, she said.
Advocacy and service are important to Leslie. The child of immigrants, Leslie said that when her mom would send items back home to her grandmother, her grandmother wouldn’t keep them to herself – she would always share with others who didn’t have much. Leslie said she’s modeled herself after that – giving back is one of her core values.
Healthcare Distribution Alliance said it hopes to incorporate service projects into its future conferences because that aligns with the missions of many of its member companies: to support communities and give back. And Leslie hopes attendees take their experiences from this year back home with them.
“I hope that this feeling of giving made them think about ways they can give back,” she said.
Interested in partnering with United Way to host a service project during your conference in Central Indiana? Email letspartner@uwci.org.