Mavs 2023-2024 season
Our partnership with the Mavs, now in its second year, has supercharged our mission to empower people into stability, growth and freedom. The Mavericks have been doing that in Dallas since 1996, and our events together this year underscore the commitment of both of our organizations to making a difference in the communities we serve.
Halloween at Children’s Medical Center Plano
On Halloween, we teamed up with the Mavs to make sure children staying at Children’s Medical Center Plano had a holiday celebration they’ll never forget. We know we’ll never forget the looks on the kids’ faces when they saw Mavs players Dwight Powell, Josh Green and Grant Williams pulling wheelbarrows full of candy behind them.
Every time we partner with the Mavs Foundation, we are inspired by the passion they have for helping the Dallas community. It was palpable at Children’s Medical Center Plano, and there was nothing like seeing the kids smile from ear to ear as they shared time with some of their heroes.
Employee night at American Airlines Center
On November 28, 2023, 40 people from the ShiftKey team gathered at American Airlines Center to watch the Mavs warm up and then take on the Houston Rockets, a game they won with a final score of 121-115. Everyone lost their voices from shouting and screaming, especially watching Luka drive to the hoop over and over! Watching our favorite team bring home a win made our time together extra special.
December Children’s Health with the ManiAACs and D-Town crew
On December 12, 2023, we visited Children’s Health Dallas to surprise the children with toys and shower the nurses with treats. The toys came from our internal toy drive, and ShiftKey employees really delivered! It was an honor to have the opportunity to serve our community during the holiday season, when children and healthcare professionals would rather be with their families than in the hospital. We loved watching the kids play, wearing huge smiles and sharing lots of laughs with the Mavs ManiAACs and the D-Town crew.
Court dedication at Cedar Crest Community Center
We were grateful to have the opportunity to support Cedar Crest Community alongside The Mavs Foundation, Sprite and S2 Capital at the court dedication on January 12, 2024, hosted by Dallas Mavericks players Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr.; Mavs Foundation President Katie Edwards; Behind Every Door President and CEO Darrion Lewis Sr.; and former Dallas Mavericks player, head coach and Behind Every Door Board Member Avery Johnson. Read the full story here.
Mavs Nurse’s Night at the American Airlines Center
On February 22, 2024, we proudly hosted Dallas-area nurses who use ShiftKey for Nurses Night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. We loved connecting with them, and watching the Mavs defeat the Suns made the night even better!
Volunteer event at Annie’s Place and check presentation
We’re beyond honored to support Annie’s Place, a nonprofit dedicated to making sure that no Dallas parent has to choose between taking care of their health and ensuring safe, loving care for their children.
Born from a personal need by founder Natalie Howe Boyle, who faced challenges with childcare while facing her own health issues, Annie’s Place has provided over 30,000 hours of free childcare to parents in need since 2014.
On March 5, 2024, our CEO Mike Vitek, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer Regan Parker, and CMO Ryan Bonifacino presented a check to Annie’s Place during the Mavs game at American Airlines Center. The next day, we co-hosted a volunteer event with Mavs players, which included an incredible lunch for all in attendance, compliments of Ruthie’s Food Truck.
Spending time with the children and their families alongside the Mavs players, ManiACCS and D-Town crew reminded us of the necessity of coming together to support our community.
It’s truly a privilege to play a small role in helping this vital Dallas nonprofit achieve its mission. Beyond the work we do to solve workforce challenges and break down workforce barriers, our goal is to ultimately put the focus on patient care, and Annie’s Place does that in a brilliant, sustainable way.
To get involved with Annie’s Place, visit their website or connect with them via Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. And if you need their assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Fireside Chat with Dwight Powell
Many on the ShiftKey team know Dwight Powell. The center power forward has been with the Dallas Mavs for 10 years, and he’s a regular volunteer at the community events we co-host with the Mavs Foundation.
On March 20, 2024, he graciously joined us for an inspirational fireside chat, hosted by ShiftKey CEO Mike Vitek in our Dallas office, where Powell spoke about the importance of mentorship, hard work, effort, dedication, and making your own path regardless of the resources that have been laid in front of you.
One thing Powell said that resonated was: “Failure is a possibility, but it’s not an option.” Whatever challenges we may face on the way to reaching our goals, as individuals or as a company, this encapsulates the attitude required to do great things — whether that’s enduring being traded no less than three times before landing with the Mavs as a second-round draft pick or pivoting to meet customer needs or market demands.
Powell, who attended Stanford, won the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for three of the last five seasons. It’s no wonder — he pours energy into his community, both with his work with the Mavs Foundation and the Dwight Powell Children and Family Support Program at UT Southwestern, which helps families maintain a level of normalcy while undergoing cancer treatments.
Ninth annual Mavs Ball
The ninth annual Mavs Ball, a star-studded evening attended by community leaders as well as the entire Dallas Mavericks team, was an incredible testament to the generosity of the people of Dallas, who helped the foundation raise over $2 million this year.
The Mavs Foundation has provided more than $10 million dollars to nonprofits serving women, children and families in need since 1996, and has built 56 Learn & Play spaces in north Texas, including the basketball court at Cedar Crest Community Center.
We were proud to be a presenting sponsor of the premier event for the second year in a row and look forward to many more years of coming together to make a difference in our community.
‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’
Our inaugural National Nurses Week campaign, “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes,” bridged the gap between making a difference in our local community and our online community.
On Saturday, May 4, we kicked off the week at Head for the Cure’s 5K alongside the Mavs in Plano, Texas. We handed out fanny packs and “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” tees; enjoyed and shared free breakfast courtesy of Ruthie’s for Good; and witnessed the powerful, emotional stories that brain cancer survivors and their families shared.
Champ, the Dallas Mavericks Mascot, and the ManiACCs made many people smile before, during, and after the race.
The following Monday, we began a week-long giveaway and celebration of nurses in honor of National Nurses Week. We featured nurses’ stories on our Instagram page, partnered with independent nurses who use ShiftKey to talk about how our app is helping them to work on their terms, and gave away 100 pairs of Clove sneakers to nurses across the country.
Our Instagram page was abuzz with activity, as nurses not only tagged their friends but shared their stories.
I became a nurse due to wanting to change the lives of those during their most vulnerable times. Everyday being a nurse is a new opportunity to learn, to grow, and most importantly giving the best care you possibly can give. Despite the challenges faced daily, I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything else in the world.
Nurses shared how much the shoes would help them during longer shifts, which can take a toll on their bodies.
“Need some new threads. Nursing is hard on your feet and legs. I just need a new body.”
“Happy nurses week! I would love to try a pair of these shoes! I work long 16 hour shifts and my feet ache at the end of the day!”
“Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” was such a success that we’re already making plans for next year.
Let’s go, Mavs!
It was a standout season working alongside the Mavs to give back to our Dallas community. We’re walking away with our hearts full of gratitude and our heads full of memorable moments. We can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in 2024-2025!
