Jonathan (Jon) Stump, Vice President of Product Services and products at Independence Blue Pass (Independence), is pleased with the good stuff his crew has achieved in combination — no longer simply within the place of job but additionally in the neighborhood.

Since Jon joined Product Services and products seven years in the past, his crew (made up of roughly 40 pals) has made giving again a part of the dept’s tradition, finishing a number of volunteer occasions in combination via Independence’s Blue Workforce company volunteer program. The end result: Since 2017, his crew has donated greater than 185 hours to toughen 3 native nonprofits in our area.

How It Began

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

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

Through the years, the crew has followed a neighborhood circle of relatives and equipped items for them all the way through the vacations, accumulated pieces and made care applications for Saint John’s Hospice, and ready and served Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to seniors on the Philadelphia Senior Heart (simply to call a couple of).

“My crew is raring to proceed discovering techniques to present again,” Jon stated. “After we do issues in combination and notice the affect in our neighborhood (equivalent to seniors taking part in a excellent meal), it motivates us to need to do extra.”

Sharing the Pleasure of Volunteering

Jon’s govt assistant, Adraine Lewis, has been integral to the crew’s volunteering good fortune.

“She makes certain to time table and coordinate volunteer occasions for our crew all through the yr,” he stated. “Giving again is necessary to her.”

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

“As soon as upon a time, I used to be at the receiving aspect. My mom stayed on the Present of Lifestyles space in Philadelphia, so I do know the affect that volunteers make on those households,” she stated. “I began volunteering on the Present of Lifestyles years in the past and nonetheless do it as of late.”

Adraine is enthusiastic about giving again, so when the chance arose for a crew volunteering mission, she was once excited to assist in making it occur.

“It’s a perfect feeling to lend a hand others. I like sharing that with others,” she stated. “Plus, it’s an effective way to bond together with your coworkers.”

Supporting Their Communities All through the Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the whole lot modified. With stay-at-home orders in position and the transfer to far flung paintings, in-person volunteering was once not an possibility. The gang needed to pivot to satisfy the rising wishes of the neighborhood.

“We known that it was once tricky for everybody. There was once a large number of concern and isolation, and the most important services and products have been stopped,” Jon stated. “We knew we needed to do one thing. There was once such a lot want.”

The crew was once dedicated to creating an affect in the neighborhood although they couldn’t collect in combination to do it. Adraine labored with the Blue Workforce to get a hold of some way for the crowd to securely toughen the neighborhood. They determined on a digital volunteering mission (they have been one of the crucial first teams of peers at Independence to volunteer just about!) with Taking good care of Pals and wrote “Worrying Notes” that accompanied foods for seniors — all from the relaxation of their very own properties.

“The neighborhood wanted lend a hand greater than ever,” stated Jon. “We didn’t understand how necessary this mission was once. The founding father of the group defined that the playing cards have been much more treasured and impactful than the meals for lonely seniors.”

Altogether, the crew participated in 4 digital volunteer initiatives all the way through the peak of the pandemic.

Taking a look Ahead to the Long run

This previous Thanksgiving, the Product Services and products crew was once in a position to renew in-person volunteering for the primary time because the get started of the pandemic. They volunteered in user at Taking good care of Pals, the group they supported as a part of their first digital mission. The crew was once excited to lend a hand the group by way of packing over 500 emergency meals packing containers and making ready foods within the kitchen. Worrying Notes have been positioned into each the meals packing containers and foods prior to being dropped at the recipients.

“It felt so excellent to return in combination once more and provides again to the neighborhood,” stated Adraine.

Now that the crew is in a position to collect in combination, they’re in a position to head.

“We’re getting in combination to devise our 2023 volunteer occasions. We are hoping to do a minimum of 4 this yr as a bunch,” stated Jon. “We’re happy to be again in user.”