On its third annual Day of Purpose, VIP employees spent June 4, 2026, packing food, preparing meals, assembling health resources, supporting youth advocacy, and helping improve community spaces across Central New York.
“VIP has always believed that building stronger communities goes beyond the projects we deliver.”
The annual company-wide initiative, guided by VIP’s Inclusive Leadership group, brings employees together in service of nonprofit and community organizations supporting essential needs throughout the region.
“VIP has always believed that building stronger communities goes beyond the projects we deliver,” said Meg Tidd, CEO of VIP Structures. “The Day of Purpose gives our employees the opportunity to come together, support organizations serving real needs across the region, and contribute to the community we are proud to call home.”
A day of service across Central New York
This year, VIP employees dedicated over 292 volunteer hours to local nonprofits and community organizations throughout the region. Volunteer efforts included:
3,600 pounds of food packed to support 120 families with a total of 3,200 meals.
1,100 t-shirts folded, sorted, packaged for sale and saved from a landfill
1,100 outreach and education kits prepared for children and families
750 wound care kits assembled for community outreach and support services
360 meals prepared and 48 delivered to Syracuse residents in need
90 meals prepped and served for community members in need
72 employee hours supporting site improvements and community enhancement work
35 total employee hours to build a garden bench wall, supporting community agriculture
Fayetteville Free Library
30 hours of volunteer service supporting landscaping beautification and maintenance/repair work
9 employee hours of clean-up, landscaping, and beautification work
Building connections through service
For VIP, the Day of Purpose is about more than a single day of volunteering. It gives employees from across the organization an opportunity to work together in a different way, connect with local organizations, and contribute directly to the community.
“This day reflects the culture and values that define VIP,” said Cynthia Hernandez, Chief People Strategist at VIP Structures. “Seeing employees from across our organization come together to support the community is incredibly rewarding. The Day of Purpose is about building connections, supporting important organizations, and giving back to the communities we call home.”
Those organizations serve Central New York every day, supporting needs that continue long after a single volunteer event. Their work reaches families, children, older adults, individuals experiencing food insecurity, community health initiatives, neighborhood revitalization, public resources, and access to safe, welcoming spaces.
Continuing a meaningful VIP tradition
The annual event brings employees together around a shared commitment to giving back and reinforces a simple idea that has guided VIP’s work since 1975: building stronger communities takes many forms.
Sometimes that means helping an Owner plan and complete a building project. Sometimes it means showing up for local organizations doing the work communities depend on. Through the Day of Purpose, VIP employees continue to do both.
Impact by the numbers:
3,600
lbs
of food packed at the Food Bank of CNY to support 120 families with a total of 3,200 meals.
1,100
t-shirts
folded, sorted, and packaged for sale and saved from a landfill through the Rescue Mission “Fold for Hope” initiative.
90
meals
prepped and served for community members in need at the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syarcuse.
72
volunteer hours
supporting site improvements and community enhancement work at the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park in Cazenovia.
35
volunteer hours
spent building a garden bench wall, supporting community agriculture at Jubilee Homes’ Urban Delights Garden.
30
volunteer hours
supporting landscaping beautification and maintenance/repair work at the Fayetteville Free Library.
