Last Friday, an anonymous bidder pledged over $1 million in a charity auction to have lunch with billionaire businessman Warren Buffett. All proceeds went to San Francisco nonprofit GLIDE, which offers comprehensive programs and services to help the city’s neediest residents overcome homelessness and poverty.
To celebrate the auction, 75 eBay Inc. ?employees volunteered at GLIDE prior to the auction on June 5. GLIDE founders Reverend Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani greeted the group, which included North America Marketplaces CMO Richelle Parham and the eBay Giving Works product development team, who traveled all the way from Bangalore, India to support the auction and participate in the volunteer event. After a warm welcome, GLIDE’s revered leaders put the group to work. One group of employees served meals for the GLIDE Daily Free Meals program and another helped with renovations to the charity’s facility, painting the organization’s kitchen and dining room.
“This is the first time the entire India Product Development team has been in the U.S. for the auction and volunteer event and it’s been great fun from start to finish,” said Jegan Gopalakrishnan Karunakaran, Software Development Manager for eBay Giving Works. “It was really amazing to see how teamwork can change things. Within an hour, we saw the dining hall turn from dull white to shining, golden yellow. It’s great to know our efforts will create a bright experience for the people GLIDE serves each day.”
This year’s auction marks its 11th anniversary on eBay. Through eBay Giving Works, the auction has raised $14 million for GLIDE. This is the second year that eBay Inc. employees have participated in a volunteer event for the organization in support of the cause.
“It was wonderful to have the eBay family at GLIDE in support of the Power Lunch with Warren Buffett auction taking place this week,” said Dori Caminong, Manager of Legacy and Creative Development for GLIDE. “eBay’s employees made awesome contributions to our cause, creating a clean and dignified space for our community to receive meals. It’s been a great joy and we are very proud of our partnership with the eBay family.”