Jonathan (Jon) Stump, Vice President of Product Companies at Independence Blue Cross (Independence), is happy with the good issues his crew has achieved collectively — not simply within the workplace but in addition locally.

Since Jon joined Product Companies seven years in the past, his crew (made up of roughly 40 associates) has made giving again a part of the division’s tradition, finishing a number of volunteer occasions collectively by means of Independence’s Blue Crew company volunteer program. The consequence: Since 2017, his crew has donated greater than 185 hours to help three native nonprofits in our area.

How It Began

Jon nonetheless remembers the primary volunteer mission his crew labored on.

“The crew made 150 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Saint John’s Hospice, a shelter for homeless males in Heart Metropolis,” he stated. “After that, we simply stored going.”

Over time, the crew has adopted a neighborhood household and offered presents for them in the course of the holidays, collected objects and made care packages for Saint John’s Hospice, and ready and served Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to seniors on the Philadelphia Senior Heart (simply to call a number of).

“My crew is raring to proceed discovering methods to provide again,” Jon stated. “Once we do issues collectively and see the impression in our group (equivalent to seniors having fun with a superb meal), it motivates us to wish to do extra.”

Sharing the Pleasure of Volunteering

Jon’s government assistant, Adraine Lewis, has been integral to the crew’s volunteering success.

“She makes positive to schedule and coordinate volunteer occasions for our crew all year long,” he stated. “Giving again is essential to her.”

As a member of the Blue Crew, Adraine has been giving again to the group for a few years.

“As soon as upon a time, I used to be on the receiving aspect. My mom stayed on the Reward of Life home in Philadelphia, so I do know the impression that volunteers make on these households,” she stated. “I began volunteering on the Reward of Life years in the past and nonetheless do it at present.”

Adraine is captivated with giving again, so when the chance arose for a crew volunteering mission, she was excited to assist make it occur.

“It’s an awesome feeling to assist others. I like sharing that with others,” she stated. “Plus, it’s an effective way to bond along with your coworkers.”

Supporting Their Communities In the course of the Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the whole lot modified. With stay-at-home orders in place and the change to distant work, in-person volunteering was not an possibility. The group needed to pivot to fulfill the rising wants of the group.

“We acknowledged that it was powerful for everybody. There was quite a lot of worry and isolation, and essential companies had been stopped,” Jon stated. “We knew we needed to do one thing. There was a lot want.”

The crew was dedicated to creating an impression locally even when they couldn’t collect collectively to do it. Adraine labored with the Blue Crew to provide you with a manner for the group to securely help the group. They selected a digital volunteering mission (they had been one of many first teams of associates at Independence to volunteer just about!) with Caring for Buddies and wrote “Caring Notes” that accompanied meals for seniors — all from the consolation of their very own houses.

“The group wanted assist greater than ever,” stated Jon. “We didn’t understand how essential this mission was. The founding father of the group defined that the playing cards had been much more priceless and impactful than the meals for lonely seniors.”

Altogether, the crew participated in 4 digital volunteer initiatives in the course of the peak of the pandemic.

Wanting Ahead to the Future

This previous Thanksgiving, the Product Companies crew was capable of resume in-person volunteering for the primary time because the begin of the pandemic. They volunteered in particular person at Caring for Buddies, the group they supported as a part of their first digital mission. The crew was excited to assist the group by packing over 500 emergency meals bins and getting ready meals within the kitchen. Caring Notes had been positioned into each the meals bins and meals earlier than being delivered to the recipients.

“It felt so good to return collectively once more and provides again to the group,” stated Adraine.

Now that the crew is ready to collect collectively, they’re able to go.

“We’re getting collectively to plan our 2023 volunteer occasions. We hope to do at the least 4 this yr as a gaggle,” stated Jon. “We’re glad to be again in particular person.”