AT&T Employee in Oakton Recognized for Leading Positive Change In Fairfax County!

In 2014, Nitin Dogra, an AT&T employee in Oakton, VA, started a work-based, online community called the Living Well Project, an internal support system for his AT&T colleagues where he leads hands-on sessions for mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises and workplace yoga to reduce stress and increase personal well-being.

His program started with six of his fellow AT&T employees. Within four months, it grew to around 250.

Today, in addition to the online community, Nitin hosts weekly sessions for his fellow employees in Oakton, offering them an opportunity to participate in in-person meditation and relaxation sessions. The result: Nitin is helping to create a healthier and happier AT&T. He says as people become energized, relaxed and mindful, their energy, efficiency, and coping ability increase.

As a result of his efforts, Nitin is a winner of the 2015 AT&T Champions of DOT (Do One Thing) award, with his project one of several being recognized companywide for their commitment to strengthening the communities in which AT&T employees live and work.

In honor of his work, AT&T will contribute $2,500 to The Village Cooperative in Nitin’s name.

With the Do One Thing (DOT) initiative, AT&T employees have a positive impact on the environment and their communities through making small changes in their life like recycling, volunteering or riding a bike to work. AT&T recognizes four employees or groups of employees each year who stand out for innovative and effective ideas that benefit their colleagues, their community or the environment.

“Celebrating the Champions of DOT award is one of the company’s favorite times of year, as we get to recognize the impact people and organizations have on the communities we serve,” said Vince Apruzzese, regional vice president for AT&T External Affairs in Virginia. “We are proud to honor the imaginative and innovative spirit shown by Nitin. He saw an opportunity to help his colleagues, and moved ahead with a plan to make a positive difference in their lives.”

“When I first learned about AT&T’s Do One Thing (DOT) initiative – which invites employees to take a simple, measurable action to benefit the world around them – I didn’t realize that my passion for wellness and meditation would encourage my colleagues to make similar healthy changes in their lives,” said Dogra. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help my colleagues and a worthy nonprofit organization.”

The Village Cooperative is a charitable organization dedicated to the creation and support of income-generating projects in the developing world. Its vision is to empower villages around the world to become self-sustaining through the implementation of handicraft projects, micro-financing enterprises, small business development, and vocational skills training.

The contribution from AT&T will enable the Village Cooperative to help the Women’s Interlink Foundation in Kolkata, India and its efforts to renovate the Nijoloy Rescue Center, which provides services to victims of human trafficking, enabling them to become self-reliant economically and helping them to develop confidence to live and work independently to fulfill their dreams.

Click here to learn more about Nitin’s work.