Serving Side-by-Side: NBCUniversal’s All-In in the Bronx

Service partnerships are a cornerstone of our efforts to build stronger, more connected communities. One of our most powerful experiences is an All-In, where business and community leaders spend two days in a buildOn neighborhood walking in the shoes of our U.S. students. Each participant is paired with a buildOn student and together they learn about the critical issues affecting their community and work to alleviate them.

This past October, NBCUniversal participated in one of these transformational All-Ins, bringing NBCU employees up to the Bronx to join buildOn students for two days of service and mutual inspiration at the Bathgate Educational Campus.

Two Days of Service in the Bronx

After an introduction to buildOn’s mission, NBCU staff made meaningful connections with students. Through team-building exercises, they got to know one another—sharing their daily routines, their passions, and what they love about their communities. NBCU staff also got a chance to learn about the issues that face Bronx students, from environmental racism to rising living costs. Then, together, they engaged in hands-on service, including creating eco-friendly seed bombs to promote urban gardening and putting together care packages for the school’s community pantry.

On the second day, they took to a local park to rake leaves, plant native trees and shrubs, and clean up trash. NBCU staff rolled up their sleeves and worked hand-in-hand with the students, forging connections and creating a meaningful impact together. 

Real Connections Between NBCU Staff and buildOn Students

For NBCU staff, the experience offered a refreshing change of perspective. Manashi Mukherjee, Vice President of Technical Production for Operations and Technology, reflected, “It’s nice to be out in nature. I work in TV, so it’s technology all day. I’m surrounded by screens. That was a really nice change of pace for me.” She particularly appreciated buildOn’s approach to service, noting how it transformed the volunteer experience from being potentially patronizing to truly collaborative.

“Every one of those kids that we met were very bright and smart,” Manashi shared.  “And there were a lot of things that I found in common with my student. His parents are immigrants, my parents are immigrants. Education is important to his family. Food is important to his family.” 

“He told me about his grandmother’s garden and the beaches in the country that they’re from, and I could really relate on a different level, not like a, ‘Hey, this kid needs my help and I’m here to save the day,’ kind of thing. It was really like I got to know this really smart, bright person and I’m excited to see what that person ends up doing. I feel like it’ll be great if I see him on the news one day and he’s able to have achieved the things that he talked about that he wants to achieve.”

“I got to know this really smart, bright person and I’m excited to see what that person ends up doing.” —Manashi Mukherjee, NBCUniversal Vice President of Technical Production for Operations and Technology 

Bridging the Divide: The Importance of In-Person Connections

Charissa Chu, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications for NBCUniversal’s Global TV Distribution Division, emphasized the importance of the in-person connections staff made at the All-In:

“I think I had the best partner, honestly. One question that she kept going back to was ‘What’s your hobby? What kind of hobbies do you have?’ And it really broke the ice to find that common connection. We talked about how we liked writing and how over the summer she had 50 pen pals from all over the world. And I was telling her about how when I was a kid, I had a bunch of pen pals and I was part of a pen pal organization with people all over the world as well.”

“It’s just that connection to another human being in person that’s real,” she continued. “I think that people’s ties to each other have been destroyed through social media and through an online world that isn’t real. And by just being present with somebody and being able to hear about their life, both good things and struggles. I think that builds a connection.”

Student Perspectives on the All-In

Students shared equally powerful insights about the All-In. Fatima, a 9th-grader, emphasized how much she enjoyed connecting with NBCU staff. “Even though we were doing work, it was still fun because there were a lot of people and we were building connections with each other and communicating. The hours flew by. We were just having fun.”

The program’s impact will extend beyond the two days of service. Joe, a 12th-grader at Mott Hall High School, spoke about how serving can help individuals come out of their shells to become active members of their communities. “As a generation, we’re very to ourselves and I feel like if everyone were given a space like buildOn to open up, we could make a big impact on this community.”

How We Build Community Through Service

This collaboration exemplifies how bringing together diverse perspectives can strengthen communities and create meaningful change. For NBCU employees, the experience fostered a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by young people in the Bronx and highlighted the power of community engagement. For buildOn students, the interaction with adult professionals provided valuable mentorship opportunities and broadened their perspectives. The experience fostered genuine connections between both groups while making a tangible impact on the community.

And stronger communities are what we’re all about!

Interested in doing a buildOn All-In with your company? Sign up today and make a real impact alongside your coworkers!