Being active members of the communities in which we live and work, including Arizona, California, Michigan, Texas, and Washington state, is central to our values at Waymo. While Waymo employees are encouraged to partake in community service throughout the year, WaymoServe is a month focused on volunteerism, designed to support what is meaningful to them. This year, during our third annual WaymoServe, employees across the country gave back over 600 hours of service.
Here are some of the most memorable moments our team shared:
Members of our engineering team surveyed trees with Canopy Great Oak
Roshan, a system safety engineer who volunteered with his team to help train Mountain View Police Department K9s, was drawn to the opportunity because he feels “there is justice in giving back to the community that has been supportive of you… and obviously, who doesn’t like dogs?”
Waymo employees packaging dehydrated meals for global distribution
As Amee, our Chief Commercial Officer, and over 40 Waymo employees packaged more than 1,000 dehydrated meals for developing countries with Rise Against Hunger, they discussed the alarming statistic that malnutrition directly affects 1 in 3 people worldwide.
Gardening with Growing Hope in Michigan
Xin, a software engineer who lent her green thumb to Growing Hope said, “when you get lucky with your life, you should think about those who aren’t. Volunteering your time and effort allows you to create a better place and share your luck.”
Waymonauts volunteering at the Nine Lives Foundation
At Waymo, we believe that getting involved in these ways helps us better understand local matters and how we might make a positive difference in these communities. “While it may take us very little to volunteer, there is always a cause out there that matches your interests and could really benefit from that extra help. And sometimes, people need your skills for things you don’t know until you’re out there,” shared Tom, a CAD Designer, “like how my team helped fix a mechanical issue with one of the doors at the Nine Lives Foundation, a no-kill cat shelter.”
Cycling enthusiast employees repairing bikes with the San Francisco Bike Coalition
“As we move around our communities, we recognize that others have paved the path for us, made it easier, more enjoyable; so moving forward it may as well be us,” expressed Keja, a software engineer. “Whether that be clearing a hiking trail, repairing broken bikes, or making it easier and safer for people to get around with autonomous vehicles.”