VOLUNTEERING
Sixteen paid hours a year, for every employee
Summit pays its staff to volunteer on the clock, and members are welcome at most of the same events. Here is how the program works and how to join one.
The policy
Paid time off, not personal time
Every Summit employee gets 16 hours a year of paid volunteer time. It is separate from vacation, it does not roll over, and a manager cannot refuse it for scheduling reasons more than once per quarter. Part-time staff get a prorated share.
The hours can go to any registered nonprofit, not only the ones the Summit Foundation funds. Coaching a youth league, driving for a meal delivery route, or sitting on a school board committee all count.
Last year's total
What 1,400 people got done
About half of eligible hours were used. We would like that number higher.
11,200
Paid volunteer hours used
148
Organizations served
3
Company service days
42
Branches taking part
Volunteer participation figures are reported annually to members. This is a demonstration website; programs, events, and figures shown are illustrative only.
Service days
Three days a year the whole place shows up
Branches close early or run a skeleton crew so teams can go out together.
Spring: food bank week
Teams sort and pack at regional food banks across the service area over five days in April. Last year Summit staff packed roughly 61,000 meals, and members filled about a third of the shift slots.
Summer: home repair Saturdays
Two Saturdays in July spent on ramps, porch rails, and roof patches for older homeowners referred by local agencies. Skilled trades lead each crew, so no experience is needed to help.
Fall: classroom money weeks
Staff teach short personal finance sessions in local schools during October and November. Sessions cover a first paycheck, what a credit score measures, and how a car loan actually amortizes.
Members welcome
How to join an event
You do not have to be an employee. Most shifts have room for members and their families.
Tell us where you are
Send a note through the contact page with your county and the kind of work you would like to do. We will match you to shifts within a reasonable drive.
Pick a shift
Shifts run three to four hours. Food bank and classroom work suits ages 14 and up with an adult; repair Saturdays require 18 or older because of the tools.
Show up, and we handle the rest
The host organization provides training on site. Summit provides water, gloves, and lunch. There is no fundraising ask attached to any of it.
Come work a shift with us
Tell us your county and what you are good at, and we will find you something useful to do.