Living The Mission From The Inside Out

Generosity is part of the culture at United Church Homes where employees dedicate their time and talents through the support they provide to residents in the communities they serve.

But the commitment runs much deeper. Employees also demonstrate their dedication to UCH’s mission through their financial gifts during the annual Employee Giving Campaign that serves as a celebration of staff and their contributions to residents’ abundant lives.

Generosity is rooted in a spirit of kindness that is found among UCH’s 1,400-plus employees who work in its more than 90 communities located in 15 states and two tribal nations.

“What makes our employee campaign different is that there is no pressure to give,” said Vice President of Advancement Gloria Hurwitz. “Employees give because they believe in UCH’s mission – that’s what makes the campaign so special.”

The annual Employee Giving Campaign runs each fall from mid-September to mid-November. The most recent campaign raised nearly $130,000 with 59 percent of employees participating, well above the national average of 39 percent.

“As a result of the government shutdown that occurred last fall and on-going concerns about rising costs, we experienced a dip in the number of employees who contributed to our most recent campaign, Hurwitz said. “But those who were able, gave more.”

Employees may choose to direct their donations toward seven initiatives: My Community Project (support for the community in which the employee works); Wishing Well (“extras” not covered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for affordable housing communities); My Housing Community (improvements in affordable housing); the Center for Abundant Aging (education and initiatives that transform the experience of aging); Life Enrichment Fund (programs that enhance the daily lives, social connections, and well-being of residents); Employee Emergency Fund (immediate, confidential financial assistance for UCH employees facing unexpected personal hardships or disasters); and, Benevolent Care (ensuring residents who outlive their financial resources can continue to live in UCH communities with dignity).

Senior Executive Director of Integrated Operations Amy Kotterman, who has served on the steering committee for the central office for more than a decade, said many employees earmark their donations for projects within the communities they serve.

“You can see pride in residents’ faces when community improvements are made because their communities are their homes,” she said. “Community is part of our mission – along with wholeness and peace – so it comes as no surprise that so many UCH employees embrace the opportunity to support residents beyond the work they do.  I see it as an opportunity to pay it forward.”

Carol Gordon describes herself as a “cheerleader” for campaign team captains who lead fund raising efforts in their communities. She loves to see the sense of comradery among employees as they participate in events and activities throughout the two-month campaign.

“Some communities are really creative in the ways they build excitement for the campaign,” Gordon said. “Some have approaches that have become traditions, while others look for new ways to engage with employees each year. Coffee and donuts, appetizers, cookouts and tailgate parties are a part of most communities’ celebrations of employee giving. It’s universally recognized that if you serve good food, people will come!”

Music and raffles are also popular ways to promote the highly visible campaign.

Kylie O’Brien, the NaviGuide Service Coordinator at The Parkvue Community, recognized a need among staff last fall during the government shutdown when grocery prices were on the rise. She was quick in her response, organizing a food drive and setting up a food pantry for employees who needed support.

Food insecurity is an important issue to O’Brien, who is studying to be a social worker. Her mother works at Parkvue and she’s been a part of the community for many years, as a volunteer and as an employee.

“There’s no shame in needing help,” O’Brien said. “Some of our employees needed assistance but were unable to access local food banks due to their work schedules. We located our pantry in a discrete area near the employee break room with no monitoring. About 150 bags of food were given away.”

“The kick-off events and ongoing campaign activities help connect staff to UCH’s mission and vision,” Kotterman said. “We give because we truly care.”