3 Stories of Customers Using Zoom to Create Meaningful Connection

Over the past year, we’ve seen our customers use Zoom in new and incredible ways to stay connected during the pandemic. From transforming service delivery to creating engaging digital learning experiences to hosting large virtual events and social gatherings, our users have shown us that there is truly no limit to how Zoom can help people connect, collaborate, and spread joy. 

To celebrate the ways our customers are using Zoom, we’re sharing three of our favorite heartwarming stories that show just how kind, inspiring, and creative our users are:

The company of animals has always helped raise spirits, and the non-profit organization People Animals Love (PAL) brings that valuable companionship to provide comfort to people in places such as hospitals, care facilities, libraries, and more. 

One of their most popular programs, Read to a PAL Dog, gives children the opportunity to read their favorite books and stories to a canine companion. This creates a fun and interactive opportunity for children to practice their reading while enjoying the company of a friendly four-legged friend.

When the pandemic threatened to shut down the program completely, the teams at PAL were undeterred, moving their Read to a PAL Dog program online. Using Zoom, PAL was able to keep the program going and provide some much-needed relief and fun to children who were feeling the effects of isolation. 

Now, the virtual program operates six days a week over Zoom, enriching the lives of both the children and their furry friends on the other side of the screen! 

EarthEnable provides critical solutions for sanitary living that support the health and happiness of residents in the developing world. By providing residents around Rwanda with environmentally-friendly concrete floors, the organization helps create homes that are easier to clean, durable, and offer a more sanitary environment. 

Pre-pandemic, the teams at EarthEnable frequently met in person to coordinate their efforts. To protect employee safety while still addressing their important mission during COVID-19, EarthEnable decided to move to Zoom to coordinate the delivery of its important services to Rwandans. 

Using features such as screen sharing and the ability to record meetings, as well as maximizing Zoom’s performance in low-bandwidth, EarthEnable seamlessly coordinated its efforts. They could effortlessly connect with consultants and funders around the world and research and development teams out in the field. 

Using the Zoom platform, EarthEnable could continue delivering its vital services and improving the lives of Rwandans, even in the most trying of times. 

Places of worship were hit particularly hard during the pandemic, as social distancing mandates have prevented people from gathering to practice their religion and celebrate important holidays. This is especially true for the Buddhist practitioners at the Dhammakaya Temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, where Thai Buddhists celebrate one of their most important holidays: Makha Bucha Day. 

This celebration normally brings tens of thousands of believers to the temple each year to pray and light lanterns. However, this year looked a little different in light of COVID-19, with the temple forced to limit the in-person participants to a select group of 1,000 devotees. Undeterred by the barrier of distance between the temple and followers, volunteers created an event on Zoom where devotees could attend the celebration virtually. 

With the help of over 3,000 volunteers around the world, some 273,000 attendees from more than 65 countries participated in at least one session during the celebration. Dhammakaya Temple also recently hosted another virtual event to celebrate Earth Day under the campaign, “Cleanse the Mind, Cleanse the World by Meditation”, creating another beautiful and inspiring ceremony for attendees to enjoy from a distance. 

For more inspiring stories of how our customers are using Zoom in exciting new ways, please visit our blog.