What does it mean to grow the greater good? This is one of several guiding principles that team members are introduced to on their very first day at Grow, and for us, it means that real service includes giving our time, energy, talents and resources to better our communities. Grow team members serve the community through their Volunteer Days and beyond.

As an organization dedicated to serving people, Grow has always encouraged volunteerism for our team members with opportunities both inside and outside of the workday encompassing many passion areas, from youth and education to food insecurity and homelessness. To make sure all team members can support causes significant to them, Grow introduced Volunteer Days, two new paid days off for team members to use to support any charitable cause or organization close to their hearts. During the first half of the year, team members have logged more than 1,200 service hours. Organizations they’ve served include Metropolitan Ministries, Meals on Wheels, Feeding Tampa Bay, The Humane Society of Tampa Bay, United Way, The Wounded Warrior Project ^®, Friends of U.S. Military Families and more.

Paul Boraske, Marketing Materials Coordinator, said, “My take on our passion for volunteerism is that it’s not just taking time out of our workday to commit to community service, but doing it with such passion that the commitment to serving others extends into our personal lives as well. Grow gives us the incentive to be exposed to many wonderful charitable organizations and promotes volunteerism for team members.”

Volunteer stories from our team

Meals on Wheels
“I believe Meals on Wheels has a significant impact on the community. For the specific group I worked with that’s based in Tampa, ‘homebound’ isn’t limited to the senior population but also includes younger individuals with disabilities, which allows them to serve more people in need. My favorite part was seeing the smiles and appreciation on the faces of the individuals who we delivered meals to. I will definitely be back.” – Deionne Scatliffe, Executive Operations Coordinator

“Volunteering is about helping people in need without expecting something in return — making this world a better place, one act of service at a time. Some people don’t have the means to donate money to organizations, so they donate their time, which is invaluable. To me, it’s very rewarding to know that I make a difference in someone else’s life.” – Sherry DeMoranville, Market Manager

Veterans Alliance Center
“I used my volunteer time for a cause close to my heart, military veterans and homeless veterans. This charity works with the American Legion, a local Mission church and several businesses in Bowling Green. They run completely on donations from the community and volunteers. They offer gently used household items, clothing, medical equipment, hygiene items, blankets and a food pantry, and it costs veterans and their families nothing to come in and get items they need. It was such a great experience. I’ll be volunteering on a regular basis. I’m grateful to work for Grow and be a part of an organization that encourages and makes it possible to do things for our communities and give back.” – Nancy Kreisle, Sr. Underwriter

Feeding Tampa Bay
“Working at Feeding Tampa Bay was highly rewarding, especially during the pandemic. As a local credit union, we have a bond to the community of Tampa and are tasked with social responsibility for those who are less fortunate. Every time I’ve volunteered here, I’ve been amazed at how much food is donated that would otherwise be food waste, and I feel passionately that no one should starve. Our collective action during the Feeding Tampa Bay volunteer sessions gives thousands of meals to families dealing with food insecurity.” – Christopher Strutz, Accountant

United Way
“Financial difficulty can snowball quickly. Job loss, illness, emergencies and other situations can happen that cause someone to struggle financially, even when they are doing their best. United Way finds different ways to help hard-working people who are struggling with one thing or another, and it’s important for me to stay involved in my community helping people.” – Eric Vanderham, AVP Regional Executive

For anyone wondering where to get started with volunteering, Vanderham advised, “Find something you’re passionate about and get involved in it, such as a non-profit that makes the community their number one priority.” We wholeheartedly agree and plan to keep using our collective power as an organization to help our communities through volunteering.

Our Grow team members serve the community in a variety of ways. Learn more about our initiatives in the community.

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