'We Chip In' winners embody what it means to be a good neighbor

Empowering our employees to give back to the community they live in is part of our commitment to making a lasting difference. Our efforts are dubbed "We Chip In." In 2022, our employees donated nearly $400,000 to more than 400 charities. They also volunteered 4,700 collective hours with area nonprofits. At Samsung Austin Semiconductor, we offer up to 16 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off for all our employees. Some employees go above and beyond which is why we recognize them as our We Chip In winners for all the ways they gave back in 2022.

We Chip In winners for 2022 (left to right): Gregory Collins, Harshala Patil and Stephen James. Congratulations to Gregory Collins, Stephen James and Harshala Patil on their We Chip In award. To recognize all their efforts, we hosted a luncheon on their behalf and gifted them with a swag bag that included a $500 donation gift to the charities of their choice. Stephen works in our Human Resources team and has been with us for 12 years. He is passionate about helping veterans and making sure they never feel alone. "I volunteer with veterans, for veterans," James said. "The award is recognition for the tens of thousands of Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) members donating tens of thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to take care of our brothers and sisters who put their life on the line to guarantee our freedoms."

Our next winner, Patil, coordinated six volunteer events for the Quality and Reliability team and they ended up clocking in 235 hours of volunteer time! The team did everything from assembling meal kits for students with Hope Austin, pictured right, to decorating bags to help For Every Child. Patil has also been giving her time to help Toys for Toys and Chemo Angel for nearly a decade. "I feel encouraged and motivated and plan to continue helping our community," Patil said. The employee who nominated Collins described him as a "steadfast pillar in his communities, constantly giving back and trying to improve the lives of anyone connected to them." Collins, who has been with us for nearly 23 years and works in our Manufacturing Engineering department, spends time volunteering with area food banks, helping the homeless and providing mentorship through youth sports and church programs. For individuals who say they don't have time to volunteer, Collins offers this advice: "If you really want to see your own lives changed, start giving more of yourself. It is not about how much time you spend volunteering, it's about what you are doing with the time given." Thank you to these three employees for truly embodying what it means to "chip in" and make our community a better place for everyone.