In Honor of National Volunteer Month, Learn How 8 Companies Care for Their Communities

There are many avenues through which companies can give back to their communities — and according to the team at Duda, craft beer is one of them. 

Headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, the company aims to connect with businesses across the city, curating its weekly menus with local caterers, sourcing employee gifts from nearby shops — and, on one occasion, collaborating with a Louisville-based brewery to release a beer. 

“No matter the event or the occasion, Duda Louisville chooses to support locally,” Lynn Ersek, people experience and events manager, told Built In. 

She explained that “care” is one of Duda’s core values, which is reflected in its mission to help businesses bolster their digital presence. In this sense, the company’s social outreach efforts are a way to put its mission into action — a truth that Hometap can equally attest to. 

According to Chief People Officer Andrea Garvey, the company partners with Heading Home, which provides services for families experiencing homelessness in the Boston area. Through the organization’s Up & Out program, Hometap employees help families transition from shelters to permanent housing by purchasing and assembling furniture that transform empty apartments into homes. 

“Our community outreach directly reinforces Hometap’s mission of making homeownership less stressful and more accessible by addressing housing challenges at every level,” Garvey said. 

For the teams at Hometap, social impact is as influential internally as it is externally, enabling employees to connect with each other — and their company’s mission. 

To celebrate National Volunteer Month, we caught up with team members at Duda, Hometap and six other companies across the country to learn how their organizations give back to their communities as well as how this bolsters their missions and cultures, and garner their advice for leaders at other companies who are eager to implement outreach initiatives. 

Braze’s customer engagement platform is designed to power lasting connections between consumers and brands they love through cross-channel messaging and journey orchestration to Al-powered experimentation and optimization. 

 

Describe how Braze gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Braze, social impact isn’t a separate initiative — it’s woven into our culture. Our approach prioritizes employee-driven advocacy, ensuring that every Braze employee, regardless of role or location, has an opportunity to make a difference in the communities where we live and work.

Our Braze Cares Partner Program is a cornerstone of this strategy. Each office and remote region nominates and supports a local nonprofit with funding and quarterly volunteer events. Leading these efforts are our more than 30 volunteer Braze Cares Advocates, who helped direct $260,000 in grants in 2024 alone.

As a Pledge 1% member, we’ve committed one percent of company equity to charitable giving through the Braze for Social Impact Fund at Tides Foundation, which powers a range of grantmaking initiatives. One example is our ERG grant program, where each of our 10 ERGs directs $30,000 to nonprofits that align with their communities. The impact is twofold: communities receive sustained support, and employees experience the power of collective action, embedding social impact into the fabric of our company.

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Braze’s mission and/or culture?

Our community impact efforts focus on meeting real community needs while ensuring every employee has an easily accessible way to give back. Beyond quarterly volunteer events, employees can contribute in ways that resonate with them. Employees can lend skills-based expertise through our Tech for an Equitable Future product grant program, which supports underrepresented founders using Braze. Soon, we’ll launch a skills-based volunteer pilot, matching employees with nonprofits needing specialized support.

 

“Employees can lend skills-based expertise through our Tech for an Equitable Future product grant program, which supports underrepresented founders using Braze.”

 

Our Donation Dollars for Doers program rewards employees for their participation, providing donation credits and grants that amplify their impact. For example, employees who self-fundraise can unlock matching grants, while those who organize volunteer events can earn grants for the nonprofits they support. Every volunteer hour is also rewarded with donation credits, allowing employees to direct funds to nonprofits of their choice, including volunteering outside of Braze. This model creates a culture of advocacy and ownership, aligning with Braze’s value — “Take your seat at the table.” In fiscal year 2025, over 900 Braze employees volunteered and/or made a charitable donation.

 

 

Cencora is a pharmaceutical solutions business focused on improving the lives of both people and animals.

 

Describe how Cencora gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Cencora, we are dedicated to creating a meaningful impact on the world around us. Through the Cencora Impact Foundation, we improve the health and well-being of patient populations, both human and animal, by partnering with organizations to expand access to healthcare around the world. And as a part of our commitment to corporate responsibility, all full-time team members in the United States and Canada are provided with eight hours of paid volunteer time off. This empowers our employees to actively support organizations that hold significance for them, fostering a culture of giving back and community engagement within our workforce.

 

“Through the Cencora Impact Foundation, we improve the health and well-being of patient populations, both human and animal, by partnering with organizations to expand access to healthcare around the world.”

 

Additionally, our myCommunityImpact program plays a pivotal role in amplifying the impact of our team members’ philanthropic endeavors. By matching charitable donations and providing grants for volunteering and service on nonprofit boards, we ensure that their contributions have a greater reach and influence, further benefiting the causes they care about deeply. These programs exemplify our purpose in action, serving as a testament to our commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients globally.

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Cencora’s mission and/or culture?

Cencora’s community impact initiatives play a vital role in creating a culture of connection among our team members, uniting them in a shared purpose of giving back and making a difference. Annually, we provide opportunities for our team members to amplify their impact through various initiatives. For instance, our Month of Impact program allows team members to volunteer together, promoting teamwork and community engagement. Additionally, our Season of Giving initiative enhances the impact of charitable donations by offering a special increased match, encouraging generosity and philanthropy among our employees.

By engaging in these community outreach programs, our team members not only contribute to the greater good but also strengthen our company’s mission of making a positive difference in the world. These efforts not only benefit the communities we serve but also cultivate a sense of unity, purpose and shared values within our organization.

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Cencora?

When implementing a volunteer program, it is crucial to customize the program to align with the existing organizational culture and cater to the diverse employee segments within the company. Understanding how team members can actively engage in volunteer activities is fundamental for the success of the program. 

To enhance participation, consider providing virtual volunteer opportunities that are accessible from any location. This strategy is particularly effective for engaging remote team members who may not be physically present in the office. Furthermore, organizing on-site volunteer projects offers frontline team members who may not have regular computer access the chance to contribute meaningfully. Additionally, offering paid volunteer time off enables team members to give back in their local communities. By offering a variety of volunteer projects that cater to specific employee segments, organizations can establish a more inclusive and engaging volunteer program that resonates with their workforce. This approach not only maximizes impact internally but also extends the benefits to the communities where they live and work.

 

 

Tapestry is a global house of iconic brands. We unite the magic of Coach and Kate Spade New York. 

 

Describe how Tapestry gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Tapestry, we aim to uplift communities by empowering our teams around the world to use their time and talents to be a force for good. Each year, across our foundations and brands, we provide millions of dollars in financial and product donations and champion causes that are important to Tapestry, our people and our values.  

Through Tapestry Gives, our global volunteerism program, all employees, including part- and full-time corporate, field and fulfillment center team members, receive up to one paid day a year of volunteer time off to support the local causes they care about most. Since the launch of this program in 2021, we have had over 10,000 employees volunteer globally, serving over 250,000 hours. In addition to volunteering their time, our teams host donation drives to further support community organizations combatting critical challenges, such as disaster relief, food insecurity and homelessness.  

 

“In addition to volunteering their time, our teams host donation drives to further support community organizations combatting critical challenges, such as disaster relief, food insecurity and homelessness.”  

 

When I talk to our teams, I always say that every act of service, big or small, makes a positive impact for both our volunteers and the beneficiaries. When our teams serve their communities, whether that’s through mentoring students, supporting women’s mental health or giving back to a local organization, they feel fulfilled and energized. Our teams take pride in building stronger communities where people in need feel seen and cared for. 

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Tapestry’s mission and/or culture?

Whether in our offices, stores, fulfillment centers or out in the community, we are guided by our purpose to “Stretch What’s Possible.” As a purpose-led, people-centric organization, Tapestry Gives community outreach efforts are designed to help us bring our purpose to life through causes that matter most to our people. We know the needs of communities vary, so we’ve established a localized volunteer ambassador structure that currently has over 280 employees globally, who act as a resource for local employees and lead volunteer events. 

In addition to being champions of our community work, these roles have become a professional development tool, allowing employees to build their networks, hone their leadership skills, and drive collaboration — all while doing some good. This approach reinforces our culture of encouraging varied voices and working in partnership to expand what we are capable of. In giving our employees a voice and the opportunity to make a difference, we are creating a more positive work environment with higher morale which we see manifest in our employees when they show up for our customers with authenticity, passion and pride.   

 

 

Justworks’ platform offers entrepreneurs and small businesses access to HR tools, benefits and health insurance, and compliance and risk management support. 

 

Describe how Justworks gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Justworks, we envision a world in which starting, running and joining a small business is a more accessible option for all. One of the ways we manifest this is our volunteer program, Service for Impact. This program promotes skills-based volunteering, like mentorship and community service, among Justworks employees, encouraging mission-driven service and guiding how we can give back to our small business ecosystem and the communities it reaches. We provide 40 hours for volunteering as a part of our total rewards compensation philosophy. We also partner with organizations supporting small businesses themselves, like the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, connecting our employees with opportunities in which they can focus on impact. It’s all about the expertise we bring to the table and the resources we share.

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Justworks’ mission and/or culture?

Our social impact programs are intrinsically aligned with our mission to level the playing field for small businesses. The Service for Impact program allows our employees to live this mission every day, bringing their individual skill sets to volunteer work and adding value to organizations on the same journey as we are for small businesses.

 

“The Service for Impact program allows our employees to live this mission every day, bringing their individual skill sets to volunteer work and adding value to organizations on the same journey as we are for small businesses.”

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Justworks?

Align your volunteer programs with your company mission, and partner with cross-functional areas of the organization to bring programs to life. The work of mobilizing change does not happen in a vacuum by one person or singular team. It is a collective effort. Identify the causes that make sense for your business, and build programs around them. At Jusworks, we’ve seen high levels of engagement when our employees get the chance to provide skills-based volunteering with organizations in our ecosystem. This experience is a tangible manifestation of Justworks’ mission, which connects our employees to their work in even more meaningful ways.

 

 

Cleo’s platform is designed to give organizations visibility into critical end-to-end business flows happening across their ecosystems of partners and customers, marketplaces, and internal cloud and on-premise applications.

 

Describe how Cleo gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

Cleo Cares, the philanthropic arm of Cleo, strives to stay engaged and give back to the community in multiple ways. You can find us on a quarterly basis doing volunteer work at a local food pantry, participating in clothing drives, raising money for a charitable 5K and so much more. With Chicago being such a large city, the idea that you can truly make a difference can seem unrealistic and daunting at times. Cleo Cares shows employees up close that they can make a positive impact within the community and in all the different ways possible. 

 

“You can find us on a quarterly basis doing volunteer work at a local food pantry, participating in clothing drives, raising money for a charitable 5K and so much more.”

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Cleo’s mission and/or culture?

Cleo’s number one goal is to never stop appreciating our customers while making their businesses successful. Our appreciation also lends itself to the city of Chicago and its people. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day where you are only thinking about yourself and personal expectations — the need for your bus to be on time, the need for lunch at the local food hall to be made quickly, the need for sidewalks to be plowed and salted, etc. Cleo Cares aims to shift the mindset of constant consumption to contribution. Through regular service activities, we can make the community a better place for our neighbors and, ultimately, a better city. 

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Cleo?

My first piece of advice is simple — start right now! Don’t get lost in the different volunteer options or nonprofits to partner with. Pick one and go; I promise the internal excitement from the rest of your organization will follow once they can see the potential impact up close. From there, stay regimented in your opportunities. Cleo Cares pushes itself to offer a certain amount of volunteer opportunities per quarter, and we hold people accountable to ensure we execute. Cleo Cares has gotten to the point where it’s never a shortage of volunteers but rather the opposite where we don’t have enough openings per volunteer activity.

 

 

Hometap Equity Partners offers solutions that enable people to get more from homeownership so they can get more from life.

 

Describe how Hometap gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Hometap, community impact is woven into our identity through partnerships with organizations addressing housing insecurity and financial stability. Our Blueprint-level partnership with Heading Home, Boston’s largest provider of services for families experiencing homelessness, builds on seven years of volunteer support. Through their Up & Out program, our employees help families transition from shelters to permanent housing by purchasing and assembling furniture that transform empty apartments into homes. We proudly support various other Heading Home initiatives throughout the year, deepening our commitment to their mission.

We’re also supporters of Cradles to Crayons and organize company events like our annual 5K, where employees select charitable organizations meaningful to them for donations. These initiatives create tangible impact for vulnerable community members while fostering a sense of purpose among our team. Employees report that these experiences strengthen their connection to Hometap’s mission and to each other. By witnessing the challenges families face regarding housing stability, our team returns with renewed passion for making homeownership less stressful and more accessible.

 

“By witnessing the challenges families face regarding housing stability, our team returns with renewed passion for making homeownership less stressful and more accessible.”

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Hometap’s mission and/or culture?

Our community outreach directly reinforces Hometap’s mission of making homeownership less stressful and more accessible by addressing housing challenges at every level. This alignment creates a powerful continuity between our business objectives and social impact work. Our culture is built on twin foundational pillars: being good owners and good neighbors. When employees volunteer with organizations like Heading Home, they’re embodying our commitment to being good neighbors in a tangible way. These experiences give deeper meaning to our work beyond just developing financial products; they remind us that housing security is fundamental to community well-being.

These initiatives also strengthen our internal culture in measurable ways. Volunteer activities build camaraderie between teams and departments that might not typically collaborate, creating organic relationship-building opportunities that transcend organizational charts. Our distributed workforce particularly benefits from these shared experiences that foster connection and belonging. Most importantly, our corporate social responsibility programs help employees discover new avenues to execute on our mission outside of our core product offerings.

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Hometap?

First, align volunteer initiatives with your company’s core mission. When community outreach resonates with your business purpose, it creates meaningful synergy rather than feeling like a disconnected obligation. For Hometap, partnering with housing-focused organizations created natural connections to our work to make homeownership more accessible.

Second, provide structured opportunities while allowing for personal choice. Our most successful programs offer clear frameworks — like the Up & Out program with Heading Home — but we also support individual passion through initiatives like our company 5K, where employees can select their preferred charitable organizations.

Third, integrate volunteer work into your employee experience rather than treating it as an afterthought. We’ve found that incorporating volunteer opportunities into company gatherings, team-building events and even onboarding creates authentic buy-in and helps identify the causes that truly energize your workforce.

 

 

Arity aims to make transportation smarter and safer by collecting and analyzing data and using predictive analytics to build solutions. 

 

Describe how Arity gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

At Arity, giving back isn’t just an initiative — it’s part of who we are. Rooted in The Arity Way, our quarterly charity efforts allow employees to support causes that matter to them while fostering community and connection. These initiatives started with inspiration from our employees and have grown into a companywide commitment to making a meaningful impact. We support organizations through creative virtual fundraisers, donations and, when possible, in-person volunteering to make a hands-on difference. We have more opportunities coming to give back in 2025, and for each, employees have a say in what we will do to fundraise and volunteer.

 

“Rooted in The Arity Way, our quarterly charity efforts allow employees to support causes that matter to them while fostering community and connection.”

 

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Arity?

For organizations looking to implement more volunteer opportunities, start by listening to your employees. Align initiatives with their passions and provide flexible ways to engage, whether that’s through in-person events, virtual fundraisers or company-sponsored donation matching. At Arity, the biggest impact comes from creating engaging, inclusive events that allow employees to have fun while giving back. When employees feel connected to their work and their communities, they’re not just engaged — they’re inspired. 

Each quarter, one of our employees selects a charity partner that holds personal significance to them and aligns with one of our focus areas. For instance, those passionate about personal safety support organizations focused on physical and psychological safe environments, such as Goods for Good and Connections for Abused Women and their Children, an organization we proudly support every year. Meanwhile, others invested in acceptance support organizations facilitating inclusive environments that understand and embrace differences, such as Marwen and 12 Baskets Café. The key is to make social impact an integral part of company culture, allowing employees to take ownership and drive meaningful change.

 

 

Duda’s platform enables organizations to offer web design services to small- and medium-sized businesses. 

 

Describe how Duda gives back to its communities. What impact do these efforts have on both those in need and employees themselves?

Team members with Duda are truly fortunate, and grateful, for the Louisville, Colorado, office location. We are close to the downtown Louisville community, both by proximity — it’s less than five minutes walking to restaurants, shops, and more — and by connection. No matter the event or the occasion, Duda Louisville chooses to support locally. We curate weekly menus with caterers only blocks away; for Duders’ birthdays, we source gifts from nearby small businesses; and the majority of our branded giveaways are designed and brought to life by neighborhood artists. We even collaborated with a Louisville-born craft brewery to release a beer. 

 

“We curate weekly menus with caterers only blocks away; for Duders’ birthdays, we source gifts from nearby small businesses; and the majority of our branded giveaways are designed and brought to life by neighborhood artists.”

 

Up next for Duda is strengthening our roots by continuing to show Duda’s love for Louisville. We have been working with the City of Louisville Parks and Open Space to adopt space around our building. During our first volunteer event this year, scheduled for the end of the month, we will be cutting back perennials and grasses, along with mulching and tending to the garden and flower beds. With Earth Day and Volunteer Month on the horizon — and a team that is passionate about our office and the space that surrounds us — the goal is to eventually help provide and plant as well. Here we grow!

 

How do these community outreach efforts bolster Duda’s mission and/or culture?

Care is a core value here at Duda. “We care about our team’s success, one another and our customers. We take pride in doing our best work and communicating thoughtfully.” This statement has grown to include care for our community and neighbors within it. Duda’s focus on keeping care central to our actions creates a foundation perfect for collaboration that extends far beyond our internal teams.

 

What advice would you offer to leaders at other organizations interested in implementing more volunteer opportunities? Which efforts have had the biggest impact at Duda?

Lean in to the community network around your organization. Have a remote workforce? No problem. We have a whole team of remote employees in the Bay Area who share in Duda’s care and will be working with the San Mateo County Parks on a similar volunteer project and partnership. One of our remote Duders has taken it upon themselves to research philanthropic opportunities with environmental action in their community. Be the change.

Source leads directly from your teams. Inquire about the nonprofit entities and charitable groups that they volunteer with, belong to and are passionate about. Ask questions about how your organization is able to do the same. It’s our small daily steps and decisions that foster lasting relationships — and have the biggest impact. They are ripples that radiate outward and, ultimately, contribute to a thriving ecosystem within the community. Bonding with Louisville increases our team’s knowledge of the area, lending ourselves to enjoy social events at restaurants, commuting solution celebrations like Bike to Work Day, and even something as simple as seeing friendly faces during lunchtime laps around town.