We’ve all been there—on a desperate search for a cinnamon bun to quell that sweet tooth and you get distracted by something greater than sugared spicy goodness. At least, this is what happened to Atlas’ Aesha Khatun last December when she detoured on her quest for a café and walked into the Octavia Foundation shop to ask about volunteering opportunities.
The Octavia Foundation’s mission is “tackling inequality by empowering people to live well and connect.” To support this mission, they run several shops in London. With the funds from sales for donations, they fund their work supporting people affected by ill health, social isolation, low income, or unemployment in central and west London.
“It's inspiring to see how the foundation positively impacts over 4,400 people each year, through initiatives like befriending, social activities, youth projects, and work-related support,” notes Aesha. “I’d been thinking about volunteering for a while, and Atlas provides designated time off specifically for this purpose, so it just made sense to stop in and ask.”
After a short application process, Aesha spent a day at the Foundation, helping with various tasks like tidying the shop, organizing clothes and furniture, steaming garments, assisting customers with their inquiries, and speaking to elderly people who just wanted a chat.
Will she continue volunteer efforts with the Octavia Foundation? The answer is a resounding yes! “It felt good to volunteer there, and I really enjoyed working with the people who came in.”
And if you are wondering, yes, she got her cinnamon bun as well.
Atlas’ Doing Good program provides opportunities to all employees to give back in their local communities with paid time off. In addition, global virtual volunteer activities and regional events are sponsored during the year for teams to meet and ‘do good’ together. Learn more about Atlas' Doing Good program and commitment to volunteering in our 2024 ESG Report.