Last updated at Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:35:56 GMT

This time of the year is often seen as a time for giving thanks. At Rapid7, we are continually thankful for our community – the customers, partners, employees, experts and open-source contributors – who engage with us every day. Our community also includes the places where we live and work and, since one way to show thanks is by giving back, we decided that everyone in the Company would take a day in October to show our support and love for our communities.

#Rapid7GivesBack Day was on October 20, 2016 and every single Rapid7 office across the globe closed so our amazing employees (our Moose) could participate in service projects within their communities. These projects ranged from fall cleanups to painting to donation drives to charity fundraisers to supporting open source communities to volunteering at animal shelters and providing meals. We do amazing things when we partner together and this allowed our team to share that energy and give back to our communities across the globe. Giving back is our way of saying thank you to our communities.

Here's some of the ways we thanked our communities on #Rapid7GivesBack Day and what our Moose had to say about the experience:

Boston and Cambridge Headquarters

Our Boston and Cambridge Moose partnered with TUGG to find several different volunteer opportunities across the city. Here are some of the organizations volunteers supported on #Rapid7GivesBack Day:

  • Ethos -  a private, not-for-profit organization that promotes the independence, dignity, and well-being of the elderly and disabled.
  • The Gavin Foundation – an organization that offers specialized adolescent residential, community, educational and diversion programs to respond to the needs of youth affected by drug and alcohol abuse, and their families.
  • Josiah Quincy Elementary School - a Boston public school based in Chinatown serving over 800 kids k-5. Nearly 80 percent of its students are low income and over half are English Language Learners.
  • United South End Settlements – USES works to build a strong community by improving the education, health, safety, and economic security of low-income individuals and families in and around Boston's historic South End/Lower Roxbury.
  • Mass Audubon Society in Mattapan - the mission of Mass Audubon is to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife.

A BIG thx to @rapid7 & @BuildingImpact 4 volunteering in the auditorium makeover #TechGivesBack2016 #Rapid7GivesBack @BostonSchools #bpspln pic.twitter.com/rI3ofdDzxL

— BINcA (@BINcA_BPS) October 20, 2016

Fun day with #TechGivesBack! Thank you to our fantastic volunteers! #rapid7givesback #Gratitude pic.twitter.com/fLUO5C61kx

— Gavin Foundation (@gavinfoundation) October 20, 2016

Alexandria Office

The Alexandria office included an amalgam of Moose from the office and those from around the D.C. area. This group helped support New Hope Housing and the Gartlan House which provides permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless adult men. The team assisted in yard clean up at the house and felt the experience was a great way to volunteer in the area.

Thanks again to the group from @rapid7 who accomplished so much at Gartlan House on Thursday! #Rapid7GivesBack pic.twitter.com/mMmAQe7u7y

— New Hope Housing (@NewHopeHousing) October 23, 2016

Austin Office

Half of the office went to the Austin Animal Center where volunteers helped walk dogs, play with cats and kittens and through Meals on Wheels to community members. Austin Moose found the experiences great for getting out of the office to give back and have suggested volunteering much more often throughout the year!helped make treats for all the animals. The other half of the office helped deliver nutritious meals and human connection through Meals on Wheels to community members. Austin Moose found the experiences great for getting out of the office to give back and have suggested volunteering much more often throughout the year!

#rapid7givesback #animalcenter pic.twitter.com/OFHT9rZcT9

— leonardo varela (@leonardovarela) October 20, 2016

Belfast Office

Belfast Moose split into several groups to give back to several local charities including Action Cancer, Cancer Focus, NI Hospice, Simon Community and Assisi Animal Sanctuary. The group gave back by static cycling for charity, organizing donated items, painting and helping with animals, the team kept busy and supported several different organizations in one day.

#Rapid7 cycling in #forestside shopping centre, to raise money for #actioncancer #Rapid7GivesBack pic.twitter.com/9uMFKRLXt2

— Simon McFerran (@nomismcf) October 20, 2016

Dublin Office

The Dublin office helped support CoderDojo, an open source, volunteer led community orientated around running free non-profit coding clubs for young people. With impeccable timing, #Rapid7GivesBack day fell during Europe Code Week 2016 and the Dublin team was able to partner with CoderDojo to help further develop the community platform and content including pushing forward some core projects.

hackathon with @logentries @rapid7 team great to see these organisations support the open source @CoderDojo community pic.twitter.com/HLQ0bZPP8w

— Pete☯ (@peter0shea) October 20, 2016

Delighted to be working with the awesome team at @logentries @rapid7 on our community platform & content #Hacktober https://t.co/pDh988chi1 pic.twitter.com/hasE0V03vb

— ☯CoderDojo☯ (@CoderDojo) October 20, 2016

Los Angeles Office

The Los Angeles office volunteered at the LA Food Bank which provides food for children, seniors, families and individuals in need. Together, the team sorted 25,173 pounds of food – the equivalent to 20,893 meals. That prep work helped the

Food Bank staff get ready to deliver meals the following week. In sharing their experience, the team noted that it was a very humbling experience with regard to understanding how many don't have food and how difficult it is to prepare donations to make sure those who need the support can get it. It was a long day of physical labor but incredibly rewarding knowing that the work would help someone in need later.

Reading Office

The Reading office volunteered at Whitley Park Primary School and helped rebuild a play area for kids. The team helped repaint fences and picnic tables, plant gardens, rake leaves and clean up the space. After a physical day of work, the team agreed it was a great use of time and a good experience to do something charitable for the community. The school shared its appreciation and gratitude and invited Rapid7 Moose back any time to help out.

Reading ream rebuilding a school play area #rapid7givesback pic.twitter.com/3AsZq1R0Qb

— Sam Humphries (@safesecs) October 20, 2016

Singapore Office

Moose in the Singapore office ran a donation drive within the company to give pre-loved belongings to the Salvation Army. Items were collected over the course of two weeks and were delivered on #Rapid7GivesBack Day. The team appreciated being able to re-purpose items that would help someone else.

Toronto Office

Toronto Moose supported Free Geek Toronto by collecting donated electronics to either dispose of E-Waste properly without damaging the environment or refurbished to get youth into tech. Part of Free Geek Toronto's mission is to promote social and economic justice, focusing on marginalized populations in the Greater Toronto area by reducing the environmental impact of e-waste through reuse and recycling and increasing access to computing and communications technologies. The team helped collect donations by reaching out to friends, family and other businesses in the area. The team appreciated the opportunity to support this local organization that helps give more youth access to technology and open source software.

#SocEnt #EWasteDrive #WasteWarriors @rapid7 set up an E Waste Drive at King West Centre in  last week.

Thank you all for your donations pic.twitter.com/yvKEdxC4y8

— Free Geek Toronto (@FreeGeekToronto) October 27, 2016

Remote Moose

Our Moose without an official Rapid7 home base participated as well. Projects included community clean up, running charity races or volunteering with local organizations. The effects of #Rapid7GivesBack Day were felt anywhere our Moose are located.

Sasha and I made it!  #firefighter5k #techgivesback @rapid7 pic.twitter.com/RqXEvPG9eW

— Spencer Seale (@sseale68) October 20, 2016

We may have celebrated a little early in the year with #Rapid7GivesBack Day, but we give thanks every day for the partnerships we have – both for the individuals and the places that make our community.

For more photos from #Rapid7GivesBack Day, visit our Facebook album.