Medline employees have a long track record for giving back to their communities, and the company’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG) provide excellent opportunities for team members to identify local non-profit organizations to volunteer their time and expertise.

Recently Waukegan-based Heart of the City (HOTC), which uses soccer as a tool to do youth services and outreach to children in Lake County, Ill., named Medline as its Partner of the Year at its annual award celebration.

“Heart of the City has grown so much over the past few years, and a large part of that growth has to do with the support of our partner organizations,” said Rena Lee, HOTC’s executive director. “Our work would not be possible without the support of our corporate partners, who not only provide financial support and volunteer hours, but also help us educate our student athletes on career paths and help them think about their futures in new and exciting ways.”

Medline has provided financial support to the organization through the Medline Foundation, but the real contribution to HOTC has been through its Employee Resource Group A Latinx Medline Alliance (ALMA). Medline volunteers have provided assistance with planning and staffing events, as well as offering tours of Medline facilities to help students learn about the company’s history and explore career paths with a number of different departments.

“Heart of the City creates a positive and engaging environment that makes volunteering enjoyable and impactful,” said Jonathan Martinez, who works for Medline’s Information Technology team and is a volunteer for HOTC through ALMA.  He added, “Volunteering with the organization allows me to directly contribute to making a difference in Lake County students’ lives while building strong community connections.”

Becky Torres, senior director of labor and employee relations for Medline, who also serves on HOTC’s board, said the organization meets the company’s criteria for partnering with local organizations making a difference in their community. Torres said, “Using soccer as the vehicle, their programs are designed to provide a developmental pathway for over 1,100 youth to build social-emotional and leadership skills, access academic support, and earn stackable credentials for postsecondary education and employment success.”

Accepting the award on behalf of Medline was Vish Bhave, group general manager for SPT and Dynacor. He said, “It was an honor to celebrate the partnership we have with this organization, and look forward to many more years of work together.”

To learn more about Medline’s efforts in Waukegan and beyond, please visit the community engagement page.