In the softly lit neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a Sofia hospital, a tiny crocheted octopus rests inside an incubator. Its tentacles mimic the umbilical cord, providing comfort to a premature baby fighting for its life. This simple but profound gesture symbolizes the essence of volunteerism: transforming small acts into lifelines.

For the Our Premature Babies Foundation, stories like this encapsulate their mission. “Our organization began as a volunteer effort,” explains Monika Zlatanova, who officially manages donor relations but acts as a jack-of-all-trades in the foundation’s four-person team. “Mothers who met in the NICU wanted to fill the gaps we experienced—a lack of information, resources, and emotional support.” Since its inception, the foundation has grown into a vital advocate for systemic improvements in neonatal care and family-centered practices across Bulgaria. Yet, as Monika emphasizes, volunteers remain its backbone.

“Some crochet these octopuses; others translate materials or craft items for our bazaars,” she adds. “Without their time and effort, our impact would be much smaller. Volunteering is about giving without expecting anything in return—it’s transformative.”

Corporate Champions: HPE and Paysafe Step Up

For multinational companies like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Paysafe, supporting organizations like Our Premature Babies goes beyond business goals—it reflects a commitment to their employees’ shared values and to the communities where they live and work.

At an HPE charity workshop this December, employees crafted items for premature babies and their caregivers—Christmas ornaments, heartfelt cards, and festive decorations. These handmade items will be sold at Christmas bazaars to raise funds for Our Premature Babies Foundation, helping provide essential resources and emotional support to families in need. The workshop, organized with the support of TimeHeroes, offered employees a chance to contribute in a hands-on way.

“At the end of every initiative, there is this feeling of ‘It was worth it!’ It’s hard to describe, but it’s truly wonderful to know you’ve done something good,” says Rumyana Kuzeva, employer branding manager and part of the HPE Gives Bulgaria team. Rumyana adds, “For example, today’s workshop was coordinated with my colleagues from HPE Gives Bulgaria. Just a week ago, I was selling tickets for our annual charity raffle, where we raised nearly 10,800 leva to support the ‘Ready to Succeed’ scholarship program by the BCause Foundation. These moments remind us how much we can achieve when we work together.”

HPE’s culture of giving is well established. HPE employees receive up to 60 hours annually to volunteer for causes they care about. This has resulted in initiatives like restoring a school in Sturgel into a green educational center, donating school supplies to children in need, and supporting Our Premature Babies Foundation for five consecutive years. Whether it’s delivering martenitsi to newborns in neonatal wards, donating funds, or creating items for charity bazaars, HPE employees show sustained commitment and care.

Paysafe, too, has made giving back a core part of its employee culture, dedicating the entire month of December to Community Month, a time for employees to support meaningful causes. Victor Fachev, Paysafe Bulgaria’s Senior Director, People Enablement, explains: “If we think about why we are here and what we’re doing, our mission is to leave the world better than we found it.”

Paysafe Bulgaria employees contributed over 800 volunteer hours this year alone, supporting more than 20 causes. Their efforts range from donating food packages in villages and supporting a patronage kitchen for elderly residents in Northwest Bulgaria to organizing charity bazaars for cancer research. They also champion blood donation drives, mentor youth through ABLE Mentor and the Ready to Succeed scholarship fund of the BCause Foundation, and regularly organize cleanups of Vitosha Mountain. Additionally, their Varna-based colleagues assist with maintenance and improvement projects at the Varna Zoo. The company has also made a significant financial donation to Our Premature Babies Foundation, ensuring they continue their vital work for premature infants and their families.

Hristina Hristova, who is part of the company’s CSR committee and is engaged in many of Paysafe’s volunteering initiatives, adds: “It’s truly inspiring to feel that connection and know we can make a positive impact on others and society as a whole. When you give, you don’t just help others; you also feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The feeling of giving back to society is grounding and humbling.”

HPE and Paysafe demonstrate how businesses can mobilize employees’ time, talent, and resources to create real, tangible change. Their commitment—whether through handmade ornaments, charity bazaars, scholarship funds, or environmental initiatives—shows that collective action can have a lasting, positive impact on people’s lives.

Building Bridges: TimeHeroes and the BCause Foundation

The efforts of corporate volunteers are often catalyzed by intermediary organizations like TimeHeroes and the BCause Foundation. TimeHeroes, celebrating 12 years of connecting causes with volunteers, acts as a “PR and advertising agency for causes,” ensuring nonprofits have the support they need to thrive.

“Empathy and support are easy; they don’t require much, but they make a big difference,” says TimeHeroes director Emanuela Ivanova. With over 3,000 missions and 99,000 volunteers mobilized, TimeHeroes has become a cornerstone of Bulgaria’s volunteering ecosystem. From organizing school volunteering clubs to managing corporate initiatives like HPE’s workshop, TimeHeroes fosters a culture of giving time and talent—proving that civic engagement is as impactful as monetary contributions.

The BCause Foundation complements this work by aligning businesses with meaningful causes and enabling sustainable philanthropy. With 25 years of experience, BCause is a recognized leader in fostering corporate responsibility. As the main partner for Giving Tuesday in Bulgaria, they inspire individuals and organizations to transform lives through donations and social investments.

The Transformative Power of Giving

From crocheted octopuses to corporate charity bazaars, the combined efforts of volunteers, nonprofits, businesses, and intermediary organizations weave a safety net for Bulgaria’s most vulnerable. As Emanuela Ivanova from TimeHeroes puts it: “These organizations exist by people, for people. They’re always open to volunteers.”

Monika Zlatanova from Our Premature Babies Foundation reflects on the broader impact of volunteers: “We constantly need volunteers. To do everything we do, we rely on people who give their time, resources, and hearts. This incredible gesture of support is the foundation for what we and every organization achieve. It’s not just about financial resources; it’s about the people who dedicate themselves to a cause.”

The future of civic engagement looks bright as today’s volunteers nurture tomorrow’s engaged citizens. “We’re convinced that today’s young volunteers will one day repay society as engaged citizens,” says Emanuela.

Whether through a crocheted octopus, a corporate workshop, or hundreds of volunteer hours, each contribution underscores a universal truth: empathy and action—no matter how small—can transform lives.

TimeHeroes works with the long-term support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, which also supported the BCause Foundation’s Giving Tuesday 2024 campaign.