PenFed Credit Union’s Post

Today felt like the perfect time to jump back into LinkedIn. The last 10-12 months have been quite a journey both personally and professionally. This post isn't meant to relive the last year but to encourage everyone that when your life is turned upside down unexpectedly, it can lead to wonderful outcomes. I found through prayer, reflection, and unwavering support from friends and family, what was initially something extraordinarily difficult became a true blessing. Some will notice I have a "gap" in my work history now. About 4 months. 4 months to jettison a lot of baggage, get my mind and body back to neutral (thank you Brendan Ferns for recommending Getting to Neutral by Trevor Moawad), and to dream again. 4 months to reconnect with my wife and start to make decisions that are focused on me and my family first, not what a job might dictate or require. Call it a gap or a sabbatical or whatever you'd like; I knew in order to be the best for my family and for wherever I chose to go professionally, I had to reset. In October of 2023 I got to meet with some of the team at Grubb Ventures. I wasn't sure if I was ready to come off the sidelines yet. Was I mentally ready? Did I complete my "factory reset?" A few things were clear that were critical to me: 1. The leaders truly cared about the people there. It wasn't lip service or just some core value splattered on a wall. 2. They believed the company was ready to make smart, strategic changes in response to recent growth (I like leading through change believe or not). 3. Grubb cares about the community they live and work in. I joined Grubb as its CFO in November (I know I'm late posting about it). And today we sorted and packed eggs at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC. We did it together. Just like we do each day at the office. I'm so thankful to the team at Grubb for choosing me. I'm grateful to everyone who supported me this last year, especially my wife and family. And while I know God doesn't ever have to reveal His plan for me, I'm blessed that He continues to orient my steps.

Fifty-eight Guggenheim Securities employees in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco volunteered, this fall, with Carter Burden Network, Covenant House New York, Happy Hope Factory, OneGoal, and WeHero. Projects included facilitating Bingo games for older adults, assembling gift bags with essential hygiene items for youth experiencing homelessness, packing fall-themed activity kits for children receiving long-term care in hospitals, helping students from low-income communities apply to college, and making tug toys for shelter animals.   #corporatesocialresponsibility #CSR #givingback #corporatecitizenship

People often say they don't know how we do it. That is how you #survive. You don't stop trying. An idea doesn't work? Come up with another one! An unexpected block? Figure out a way around it! Couldn't get it done today? Tomorrow is another day! We #WILLNOTSTOP because #Lives are at stake!! We have the current privilege, like so many others, to ignore this plight. But - you don't give up. If you give up, you die. If we give up, young people will die. That is not hyperbole. This is statistical #fact. Within 48 hours of running from home, youth are #trafficked. That is why #SafeHaven laws were created in 1974, which decriminalized running away and established Basic Center Programs to ensure #Safe Housing during crisis. The reason for #crisis does not matter. It only matters that #HelpIsThereWhenYouNeedIt. Please, #HelpMe. #Donate even just 1$. Any help with financial and professional service is more than we have now. Join our Boards and help us get this done!! And #EveryDollar is another step closer to the restoration of runaway Safe Haven for two of NJ's biggest counties after a 16-year absence. https://lnkd.in/guWFDpgJ #LetsBeTheChange #Together #Grassroots #Community #EndYouthHomelessness

This is such a heartwarming initiative! 🌱 In Massachusetts, nonprofits are redefining farmers markets as community hubs. Mass Farmers Markets (MFM) connects over 200 markets, supporting local farms and promoting healthy eating. Through programs like SNAP Match, families can double their food budgets, making fresh produce accessible to all. Live Well Watertown fosters wellness through its vibrant market. Every Wednesday, locals gather for fresh food and music, with SNAP purchases matched to ensure everyone can participate. Arlington EATS combats food insecurity by providing meals to children and adapting quickly to community needs, even supporting affordable housing. These nonprofits are transforming farmers markets into vital lifelines, nurturing health and building community. (Source: Greg Herrigel, Garden & Health)

Genesis Trust Bath used their #BWCEFund grant to keep people warm in the colder winter months and reduce their energy bills via both Life Projects and Bath Foodbank. They supported individuals & families affected by poverty, homelessness and other disadvantages, trialling a new way of providing warm kits, focusing on what people actually needed instead of distributing a pre-defined list. Items included slow cookers, hats, gloves, flasks, power banks, duvets, blankets, double-glazing sheets, kindling and waterproof items such as gloves and socks. They tailored the support to meet individual need which varied between those who were homeless, living on boats and those in accommodation. To read more about BWCE #communitybenefit see https://buff.ly/3ZHKdKa

DoubleDown Engage For the months of October and November, we partnered with Hunger Intervention Program. 🥕 HIP’s mission is to increase food security for underserved populations in North King County through notorious meals, educational programs, and advocacy. They started with a couple of volunteers in 1998, serving lunches in downtown Seattle. By 2008, HIP officially became a nonprofit. Since then, they have developed programs such as Senior Community Meal, Shelter Meal Program, Healthy HIP Packs, Summer Meals, After School Meal and Cooking / Nutrition Education Classes. They now serve 10,000 meals a month to children, families, seniors and unhoused individuals! 💻 In October, we held a Snack & Learn Session where they showed us how they bring hope to those in need. We learned that hunger remains a critical issue, according to the 2023 WAFOOD survey where 21% of households said they experienced low food security and 25% of households said they experienced very low food security.  💪 In November, a group of DDI employees helped HIP assemble over 360 healthy after school snack packs! These packs were then distributed to 13 local schools to ensure kids would have food over the weekend. Together we have donated $900 to help support HIP's mission! Thank you again HIP for this opportunity to collaborate and support such a meaningful cause. We are grateful for the chance to work together and create positive change within the community. Your efforts and dedication inspire us! ↘️ To learn more about HIP, check them out here!  https://lnkd.in/gQvHMcKC #CommunityOutreach #Volunteer #SocialImpact #TeamWork #WorkplaceCulture #Inclusive #CollaborativeFun #PassionateWork #WorkplaceJoy #EmployeeConnections #Gaming #MobileGaming #RaisingUpTech #WeAreDoubleDown #DoubleDownInteractive #DoubleDownCares

The Dsquared Homes for the Homeless GAP program assisted our 100th client with rent today! I'm extremely proud of this initiative, which came about from my son being denied temporary housing over a $40 income shortage I wasn't allowed to cover. He lived in Kiwanis Park for one year, and though I fought hard, he never received help. My motto is, "Don't TALK about it, BE about it' because it's more normal to complain about what someone else ISN'T doing (especially the government) than it is to look at ourselves and figure out how WE can make a difference. I founded this nonprofit to assist those experiencing a temporary setback with rent, and it's exactly what we've done without help from the government. I don't believe in excuses, and complaining about what the government wasn't doing, certainly wasn't helping my son when he lived in the park. Dsquared Homes for the Homeless is recruiting an Administrative Assistant (we always need a Fundraising Director) whose role will include representing Dsquared in Zoom meetings with our community partners. My preference for the Admin Position is someone who is retired or only works part-time because they will have the flexibility required for this role. Although we do not have monthly meetings (most of us work while volunteering with Dsquared), we are known well enough that businesses reach out to support our mission through their organizations regularly. This volunteer MUST be a self-starter but does NOT need to live in Arizona as the entire role is supporting us with Admin duties, and representing us on Zoom calls. Who do you know that wants to make an immediate impact in the community, and has a passion for underserved populations? Learn more about us at Dsquared4homeless.org and email your resume to Admin@dsquared4homeless.org. #mentalhealthawareness #homelessnessawareness #Dsquared4homeless #Nonprofit

At Citadel, our customers' communities are our communities. We're proud to give back, starting with our own neighborhoods. From supporting local housing initiatives and wildfire relief, to volunteering at food drives and mentoring programs, we’re committed to making a difference. Read more about ways we’re helping those around us thrive here: https://lnkd.in/g-gtYcC8 #CitadelCares #CommunityImpact #GivingBack #HomeAid #SolarPower #WildfireRelief #SupportingFamilies #LocalHeroes #MakingADifference"

We talk about our “families” a lot, but our distributions are for everyone in our community 🧡 Basic needs are universal and we hope to help as many people in our community as possible. We’ve been getting a lot of questions about our distributions lately, but here are some basics: 🚶♂️ WALK-THRU 📋 NO SIGN-UP OR REGISTRATION 1️⃣ FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE We are limited in our parking at @anaheimelementary school district offices, but we do have someone “directing” traffic and encouraging parking elsewhere. We will be making some changes after the large turnout at our November distribution, but our goal is the same: 🧡 the basic needs of our community members 🧡 If you’re coming out to a distribution, we ask for your patience and understanding as we manage the line, make sure we serve as many as we can, and follow our procedures. ❄️ Our next distribution: Food, Toys & Baby Basics 12/20 • 3-5pm • 1001 S. East Anaheim St 92805 #pueblosofca #fooddistribution #distribution #nonprofitorganization #anaheimca

Hello LinkedIn 👋 We’re the Community Share Food Bank (CSFB), serving the Don Mills community in Toronto for 20 years. Community Share was founded in response to the growing issue of food insecurity in our community. The need was clear, and our initiative began with a simple yet profound mission: to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. 20 years of alleviating hunger later, our commitment remains as the need grows. CSFB usage has skyrocketed over the past few years, with a 130% increase since 2019. Change is long overdue. To mark our 20th year we will be joining calls for systemic changes that aim at the root causes of hunger: 🌱 Let’s talk the human right to food; food rescue initiatives; and urban gardening. 🤝 Let’s collaborate in advocating on employment for marginalized populations; updated, adequate social supports; and deeply affordable housing - among many other intersecting factors of poverty. 💬 We're eager to contribute to realizing human rights, including food, employment, housing, and health. We’re here to join a caring community and be part of the solutions, together. Follow CSFB on LinkedIn for more fresh updates. Let’s connect and raise our voices! 📣 #communitysharefoodbank #foodbank #foodinsecurity #urbangardening #foodrescue #righttofood #advocacy #socialsupport #affordablehousing #donmills #employment #community #nonprofit