Being my first volunteer event at TICF, I came to the occasion with little to no expectations. The bar was quickly set high as my experience was positive and affirming. I was immediately struck by the rapport between TICF and NTFB. Based on the friendly morning greetings and light conversation, it was clear that the relationship between the two organizations was firmly established. As the TICF volunteers trickled into the lobby before our shift, I was pleasantly surprised to see several familiar faces who had returned multiple times to volunteer. In addition to giving back, this event helped me connect with co-workers from other departments with whom I had little to no interaction until then.

For me, the day’s highlight occurred about twenty minutes into our shift. The volunteers were arranged into roles along a pseudo assembly line formation (pickers, baggers, and weighers). The roles were straightforward, but there was an awkwardness as everyone learned how to function together. But then, after about twenty minutes, everything clicked. Perhaps it was the friendly atmosphere or the upbeat music playing in the background; everyone suddenly became confident in their roles. The pickers remembered how many items went into each meal, baggers began checking for tears in the plastic bags, and weighers perfected tying off each parcel. The rest of the shift seemed to fly by, with many of the volunteers expressing a hint of melancholy when it was over.   

This volunteer event reframed my understanding of TICF’s company culture. Many companies engage in charitable activities. Many companies spend considerable resources informing clients and the public about their philanthropic activities. Emphasizing publicity over charity does not negate the good of said charity, but it does indicate the priorities of the companies that engage in it. This is different from the approach Toyota Commercial Finance takes. Volunteering at the North Texas Food Bank demonstrated that TICF places the good of the community far above good press.

Toyota’s Core Values are important. That is a given. However, a person could read over the list a thousand times and still not understand what they truly mean. Understanding comes little by little by witnessing and participating in small acts that benefit others. In these small acts of charity, understanding changes from abstract ideas to something more concrete. That is how this event connected me to the company and our culture. Volunteering and participating in this modest deed made me understand Toyota’s Core Values better.

I look forward to participating in more volunteer events at the North Texas Food Bank and our other community partners.