RICHLAND, WASH.‒ Gesa, a community-focused credit union, hosted its second annual “Day of Service,” an employee initiative that mobilized more than 480 Gesa team members to give back to local communities.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Gesa said it closed its 28 branches to allow its team members to spend the day volunteering. This decision enabled them to give back and make a significant difference in their communities. In total, 31 organizations across Washington benefitted from Gesa’s extensive volunteer work.
“A whopping 2,400+ hours were dedicated by Gesa team members across the state, who volunteered for a variety of organizations and nonprofits including senior centers, food banks, parks and recreation centers, community enrichment programs, education institutions, animal shelters, and more,” the credit union said. “Team members also wrote and delivered letters expressing their gratitude and appreciation for the dedicated efforts of our local heroes, including law enforcement, firefighters, veterans, educators and healthcare workers.”
“At Gesa, we are committed to empowering the communities we serve. We are honored to have partnered with these local organizations for our second annual Day of Service, as their invaluable contributions create a lasting positive impact across our state,” said Don Miller, president and CEO. “Our annual Day of Service project has easily become one of my favorite initiatives that we do here at Gesa. In the process of coming together to maximize our collective community impact, we’re also enabling and empowering our team members to support organizations and causes that they are personally passionate about.”
A few of the organizations helped were Kennewick Demonstration Garden, Spokane’s Habitat for Humanity, Rod’s House in Yakima and Bella’s Voice in Lynnwood. At the Demonstration Garden, Gesa team members assisted with pulling weeds, pruning roses, planting herbs and preparing the garden for next spring.
Volunteers who participated at the Spokane Habitat for Humanity, a donation-based home improvement and goods store, helped with tasks such as unpacking, pricing items and arranging them on the floor for Christmas merchandising.
Those who volunteered at Rod’s House in Yakima engaged in shopping and donating items as well as helping with facility cleanup.
The team also took part in a Q&A session to learn more about how this nonprofit organization supports and empowers young individuals.
At Bella’s Voice in Lynnwood, Gesa helped the nonprofit both in-person and online, with team members assisting at the register and with merchandising, repackaging pet food, and helping with the organization’s social media.