Research shows that employee volunteer programs can improve job satisfaction and employee morale. In a fully remote environment, volunteer opportunities serve an additional purpose: strengthening communities while helping colleagues build personal connections across teams.
For the Risepoint team, REACH Community Service Week is a chance for colleagues to come together in-person and online to support education-centered organizations. This year, 400+ Risepoint teammates showed up in warehouses, school gardens, community centers, and video calls to serve nonprofit organizations across 14 cities and three countries. We intentionally supported 16 organizations that open doors to learning and opportunity within our communities, further fulfilling the Risepoint mission of expanding access to education.
Behind those numbers were human moments of connection and impact in the communities where our teams live and work.
Service that reflects the Risepoint mission
Risepoint exists to expand access to education, and the organizations our colleagues supported share that purpose. Here is a snapshot of some of the organizations and communities that we supported throughout REACH Community Service Week.
In Dallas, volunteers helped Community Partners of Dallas prepare for next year’s back-to-school drive by moving boxes, counting supplies, and labeling donations. Cristina Gamez, Risepoint Student Retention Specialist, shared, “Making time to volunteer at any organization feeds your soul. Seeing coworkers and catching up makes your day, too!”
In Chicago, a group of volunteers organized donated books and materials for teachers at Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange. Another group of Chicago volunteers beautified the space at Chicago Youth Programs by cleaning, gardening, and painting a mural. One colleague noted, “It was great to be able to give back to the community and to be reminded of how there are so many people and organizations who work tirelessly every day to make their communities stronger and better.”
Virtual events allowed colleagues to use their professional skills to help learners across the country. Our team reviewed and quality-checked 22 newly recorded audiobooks and 104 teacher appreciation cards for Learning Ally, which will reach students and educators in 24,000 schools nationwide. Colleagues also ran mock interviews with job seekers through Per Scholas and answered more than 500 career-related questions from around the world for CareerVillage.
For many participants, the work felt personal. One volunteer said, “Connecting with someone I wouldn’t normally… helps me remember why I got into education in the first place.” Another reflected that “even an hour out of our day can influence another person’s career.”
We appreciate the relationships that we’ve built with our nonprofit partners and are grateful that they recognized the culture that we’re nurturing here at Risepoint. Paula Restrepo of Learning Ally shared, “We are deeply grateful for your partnership and the culture of service you foster at Risepoint.”
Team connection, in person and online
REACH Community Service Week also strengthened the Risepoint team. In fact, 83% of post-event survey respondents said they felt more connected to Risepoint after participating in an activity. Many colleagues met teammates face-to-face for the first time. In Durham, Heather West, who has been with Risepoint for eight years, said, “I did not know all these colleagues were in my area. It was so great to meet people in person and get connected, while also getting to help students looking to advance their careers.” In Louisville, a participant enjoyed “meeting face-to-face with other Risepoint employees that I only see online.”
Those connections didn’t end when the volunteer shifts were done. Jen Towns, who organized a REACH Anywhere gathering in Arlington, shared that her group of colleagues is “already talking about getting together again for lunches and happy hours, as well as next year’s REACH event.”
Online options mattered just as much. REACH Community Service Week included virtual events that allowed colleagues to volunteer whenever they were, even if there weren’t more Risepoint teammates in the same city.
Thank you to every colleague who participated, and to the nonprofit organizations that welcomed us.
Meet the author:
Nia Stokes-Hicks, Director of People Experience at Risepoint
Nia Stokes-Hicks is an award-winning people and culture strategist passionate about creating workplaces where people feel connected, supported, and empowered to thrive. As Director of People Experience at Risepoint, she leads initiatives focused on organizational culture, employee engagement, and connection. Her work combines employee insights, data, and strategic thinking to turn organizational values into meaningful employee experiences.
