With young kids, it's all about beginnings. There's the first birthday smash cake with a baby's face full of frosting in front of cell phone cameras. There's the first tooth, word, steps, and day of school.
I adore being a grandmother and being there in milestone moments. It's a true joy in life.
But new moments always arrive. We go from smash cake to watching what we eat, from the first word to giving public presentations, from the first baby step to tracking steps on a watch to meet exercise goals, from the first day of school to a tassel turned, and eventually gray-haired reunions.
You can't be a grandmother without contemplating the passing of time. That excitement in their cute faces melts my heart. Think of the little ones you know. What smile or look of wonder comes to mind? Doesn't that little face make you want nothing but the best for the next generation? Don't you wish for that spirit of awe to live on and on?
But it's daunting, right? The world is scary in many ways.
That's why I want my grandchildren — and all children — to have what they need to make it. My husband shares this passion. It's the foundation of what we do. Of course, we want to succeed in business, but why? What's the purpose? Well, we want to leave the world better than we found it so the next generation can thrive. That's the compass for all of our actions.
We created a non-profit, HireSmart Cares, to direct that passion into purpose.
A call to action: HireSmart Cares aims to help youth realize their potential
We know we can't tackle every problem. The world is too big. There's so much needing attention. But we can target specific areas and make a difference.
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We started with our employees' children, who hold a special place in our hearts. So many Filipino families aim to send their children to private schools where they can get the best education. And we want to make that happen for them, so we launched a scholarship program and served 19 families this past year.
HireSmart Filipino Scholarships: Cristina's Story
"Education here in the Philippines is pretty expensive, and my son is the most important person in my life," said Cristina. "Giving him a quality education and providing him with all his needs is what matters to me. I was able to provide it to him because of HireSmart. This scholarship is a really great help for my family."
When I think of my grandchildren, I remember the deep debts young people accept for a college education. I don't want that for any child. We know the power of compound interest and what it can do on the plus side, as well as how it can hurt young people on the wrong side of the equation. My husband and I push for financial literacy for children and their families. We've had success over the years, and we always value opportunities to help others make intelligent decisions.
We tell teenagers not to take on debt without a payback plan! And we want young people to realize there are so many options outside of college and a pile of debt — good-paying jobs based on early training and apprenticeship. We're deeply invested in workforce development programs and working with educators and community leaders to inform youth: "You have options!" We've even had T-shirts made to remind our community of this fact.
We fund the U.S. Careers initiative locally, but we want that energy nationwide, with businesses, educators, and community leaders joining forces to help kids explore their options. Do you want this in your community? Too often, young people don't know all that's available. Let's help make them aware!
We put Care dollars to work, providing high-quality work boots for seniors, awarding grants to winners of the local "Shark Tank" youth entrepreneurial competition, and funding various initiatives that put tools in kids' hands and teach them fundamental skills.
HireSmart Cares U.S. Career Assistance — Construction Class Story
We want kids and adults to truly appreciate the work that happens before every bite we eat. Agriculture feeds us, and well, we need to eat.
But we've seen the deterioration of small farms over the past generation. Food-producing responsibilities are falling into fewer hands. We want that essential know-how to live on as vibrantly as possible across generations. When it comes to the sustenance of our stomachs, ag is everything.
That's why we're doing everything we can to support our local farming community, such as committing to fund a quarter of the livestock housing costs at our local agricultural center so that youth who don't live on a farm can take responsibility for an animal and learn what that entails. We pay for youth to attend ag conventions nationwide. We fund ag-related college scholarships and pay for various ag initiatives, such as a milk machine for a local teen who uses her cow's milk for her homemade soap-making business.
HireSmart U.S. Agricultural Assistance — Kaylee's Story
When you partner with HireSmart Virtual Employees, you're joining these next-generation efforts because we allocate $100 from your purchase, then match that with another $100 to go toward one of the three initiatives: Filipino Scholarships, U.S. Careers, or U.S. Agriculture. You choose which one you want to support. And if you want to offer more, click here.
Our granddaughters have been here for a whirlwind stay this past week. Loved it! But phew! Now I'm whipped and in a reflective state of mind, sitting next to my sweet dog, Adrian, in a quiet house. I think of all that I want for those kids, all that I wish for children in general.
I want the world to be better for them. I also want the world to be better for you! If you want to chat about anything we can do for you, reach out here. I'd love that conversation. And hug your kids, your grandkids, your loved ones. Those are precious moments. Savor them.