Continuing its long-standing culture of service and commitment to community, Charles Schwab today announced the launch of a new virtual volunteering and giving program called CommUNITY 2020, which delivers new ways for employees to serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of where employees are working, they now have opportunities to engage in projects that fit their schedules, skillsets, and interests while staying safe and responding to evolving community needs.
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As part of CommUNITY 2020, Schwab is kicking off a new educational series today, July 29, with a virtual event open to the public. Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, President of Charles Schwab Foundation, will lead a panel discussion on “Charitable Giving in Times of Crisis” with two leaders from Points of Light, a global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that change the world. Neil Bush, the nonprofit’s chairman, and Natalye Paquin, its president and CEO, will share their perspectives on the increased importance of civic engagement and community support amid the pandemic and how to develop strong community stewards. Additional details and online registration are available here. All are welcome to attend.
“Schwab’s culture of service is deeply embedded in our company’s purpose and values, so we wanted to find new opportunities for our employees to serve in meaningful ways that are hyper-responsive to the rapidly changing nonprofit and community needs, while also recognizing that our employees’ lives had dramatically changed by working from home and managing family responsibilities,” said Schwab-Pomerantz. “We wanted to reimagine how we can continue to serve the communities where our employees and clients live and work, which is such a core part of our culture. This gave us the opportunity to expand and deepen our volunteerism programs to include opportunities for education and advocacy. With the launch of CommUNITY 2020, we can help meet evolving community needs by providing a diverse range of opportunities for employees to get involved—all safely from home.”
CommUNITY 2020 eliminates obstacles to serving others during a time of social distancing and shelter-in-place protocols, and is supported by four pillars of service that can be performed from anywhere at any time, empowering employees to:
- ACT: Schwab has curated hundreds of virtual volunteer opportunities for employee participation – all aimed at lifting those most in need in the communities where Schwab employees live and work.
- GIVE: Schwab is matching employees’ personal contributions 2:1 for donations made to eligible nonprofit organizations, with matches totaling up to $2,000 per employee annually.
- LEARN: Employees are invited to participate in the company’s new educational series on giving, which features panel discussions with nonprofit leaders and practical tips on how to engage in local communities.
- SHARE: To advocate for the causes most important to them and to inspire others to follow their lead, employees are encouraged to post their stories on social media with #Schwab4Good and the company is highlighting them internally in newsletters and on their intranet.
Schwab, which was recognized earlier this summer and for the fourth year in a row as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States and an honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light, has always been committed to serving others. “Right now, our support is needed more than ever,” said Schwab-Pomerantz. “That’s why we’re offering more ways to give back to our community during this time of extreme need. While no one person can do everything, every one of us can do something. And when Schwabbies unite, we become a powerful force for change.”
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