A Legacy of Giving: V Architecture Celebrates Thanksgiving

A company’s legacy is more than just its bottom line. It’s about its impact on the world, the communities it serves, and the lives it touches. At V Architecture, we believe in building a legacy far beyond our designs, a legacy that is shaped by our shared values and our strong sense of community.

Our V Engage initiative affirms our commitment to community engagement, one of the pillars of our legacy. V Architecture strives to make a mark on the history of our island and inspire future generations of professionals and citizens to go beyond financial success and find personal accomplishment and fulfillment. We are proud that as a team this year, we did more than give thanks; we gave.

 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” –  Winston Churchill.

 

V Serves

This year, V Architecture’s annual Thanksgiving celebration took on a special significance as we joined forces with the Puerto Rico Food Bank (Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico) to give back to the community. V Architecture was welcomed by Nicole Ríos, Board of Directors President, MariJo Laborde, Executive Director, and Luz Martínez, Volunteers Coordinator.  We started the morning with an orientation of the mission and vision of the Banco de Alimentos, followed by their facilities tour, which included their administrative offices and their 30,000 sf distribution center, followed by a hands-on task of preparing 2,500 food boxes to be delivered in the Municipality of Loiza this Wednesday, November 27, 2024, so that “no one is left hungry” on Thanksgiving Day.

In addition, we were assigned the task of creating short messages on labels to be placed on every box. This assignment made us pause, think, and meditate about empathy and compassion for others, values that are at the core of our community engagement efforts. We selected phrases that would bring joy and hope to every recipient, fostering a sense of empathy and care.

V Legacy

It was an honor to join President Nicole Ríos, an extraordinary international business professional in the food service field and a talented interior designer who was part of our V Architecture family some time ago.

This act of generosity and community spirit is a source of pride for all of us at the firm, strengthening our bond with the local community. As William Shakespeare once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift.  The purpose of life is to give it away”.  It was a privilege for V Architecture to give it away for a day.

This act of giving is not an isolated event but a continuation of our firm’s long-standing commitment to supporting local initiatives and giving back to the community. It’s a part of our firm’s history, reassuring our clients, community members, and partners of our unwavering commitment to social responsibility. We extend a special thanks to Nicole for introducing us to the Banco and sharing your commitment to “zero hunger” in Puerto Rico; V Architecture will return soon.

 

V Thankful

After giving with an open heart, we returned to our V Architecture offices for our traditional Thanksgiving Lunch.  We shared a delicious meal with colleagues and co-workers at our firm home.  It was a special moment to pause from our busy day and to be able to talk and listen to each other.  It can be very easy to become so immersed in our responsibilities that we do not have much time to talk among ourselves about life in general.  As the V-family, we shared our gratitude for everything we have: the past year’s work, the new members of our team, and our clients and friends.

After our Thanksgiving Lunch, we engaged in an activity designed to help us reflect on the day’s events at the Banco de Alimentos. We focused on the qualities we embraced during the morning activities: empathy, compassion, and service. This reflection allowed us to reinforce these values within our team and understand the impact of our actions on the community.

At V Architecture, teamwork is not just a buzzword; it’s a core value. The firm fosters a collaborative environment, and by working together on events like these, the team further unites in shared goals. Thus, it can move forward more productively as a team that delivers exceptional results to our clients. It was a great day to serve, give thanks, reflect, and feast!

As V Architecture continues to grow and evolve, the firm remains dedicated to furthering our V Legacy. By staying true to our core values, V Architecture is making a lasting impact on our team and Puerto Rico’s future. We give thanks with a grateful heart.