NT Concepts, a leading innovator of intelligence and national security solutions, announces the successful NEXT Trivia: Compete for a Cause event. This event is part of the company’s #NTC_GivesBack campaign, through which NT Concepts employees live out the company core value to “support each other” by extending support to local and global communities.
Every year, the NT Concepts Intern Program finds a way to donate time and resources to select charities. With COVID-19 raising the level of need and eliminating the ability to host an in-person event, NT Concepts refocused its campaign efforts.
“Giving Back has been a priority for NT Concepts since our founding,” said CEO and founder Michele Bolos. “Especially in times of uncertainty, we make it a priority, and we’re especially thankful the interns were able to join this year.”
The company interns rose to the pressing challenge, creating a virtual way to raise funds for charities in their communities by hosting a trivia hour over Microsoft Teams. Utilizing Kahoots!, a team of interns led by Greg Rogers and Jim Keys hosted questions covering a wide range of topics including sports, history, and geography. The event raised more than $1,000 through donations from interns and employees as a participation ‘fee’ and the company matched the raised funds.
Vice president of talent, Chris Gros, said “In the past years, they’ve prepared meals for homeless shelters, collected supplies for women’s shelters, and worked at animal shelters. In this COVID-constrained environment, our current group of interns found a very creative and successful way to raise money for local charities.”
As an added incentive to participate, the top three winners—Kiersten Michie, Derek Chung, and Ryan Dillinger—each got the chance to choose the nonprofit they wanted to receive a portion of the donations.
First place winner Kiersten Michie chose Second Story, an organization that provides youth services and safe shelters for teens, because she wanted to support a local organization that could really use the donation for good in the community. She said, “While everyone has been hit hard by COVID, Second Story has had to halt many of their programs. This donation will help them get back up and running. They are a fantastic organization and can use all the support we can give them!”
Second place winner Derek Chung chose to support the Asian American Center of Frederick, which helps new immigrants navigate life in America through services such as English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, assistance with attaining citizenship, and interpreter translation. In particular, the charity directs its support toward those who may not be able to afford them.
Third place winner Ryan Dillinger chose the SPCA of Anne Arundel County (AACSPCA) because animals have always been dear to his heart. Ryan believes that “the love and kindness an animal gives are like no other.” In 2003, his family rescued a Pitbull named Peaches in 2003 from a local animal shelter and had her for 12 years. He wanted other families to have the same happiness that Peaches gave to his own family, and “to give more four-legged friends the same opportunity Peaches had to make someone’s family complete.”
At NT Concepts, the #NTC_GivesBack program encapsulates regular volunteer activities and philanthropic contributions like the NEXT Trivia: Compete for a Cause event.
