Southern First Bank’s Post

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

Holiday Greetings Family, I hope this holiday season brought you joy, peace, and a renewed sense of Purpose. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who supported our Christmas initiative this year. From The Hood For The Hood Partnering with Miss North America, we came together to adopt a family of six—soon to be seven. Together, we were able to provide them with gifts and housing for the Christmas season through New Year’s. That’s what community is all about—lifting each other up when it matters most. But our work doesn’t stop here. As we step into the new year, I’m excited to share our upcoming community initiatives. On January 9th, my Fraternity’s Founders Day (Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and on MLK Day (Jan 20th) (The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) ), we’ll continue serving our communities by: - Providing catered styled meals to those who are experiencing homelessness - Bringing joy to animals in shelters by dropping treats off for the fur babies at several animal shelters- Cleaning up neighborhoods to create safer, more vibrant spaces - And rolling out a few surprises to inspire hope and progress. If you’d like to support these efforts, you can contribute through: Venmo: @ForTheHood Zelle: bdbrooks@umich.edu PayPal: [Donate Here](https://lnkd.in/gUe5f2c7) As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” In the years to come: Let’s answer that question together. #YesWeCan #HopeAndChange #CommunityMatters #MLKDayOfService #SpreadTheLove #FromTheHood #Ubuntu #ShowUp #GoodTrouble #CommunityAction #MLKLegacy #LoveInAction #ServeThePeople #RevolutionaryLove #CommunityPower #ForTheHood #KeepTheFaith #ActWithPurpose #GivingBack #CommunityService #FromTheHoodForTheHood #CommunityLove #GivingBack #HolidayImpact #MLKDayOfService #FoundersDayService #SupportLocalCommunities #ActsOfKindness #SocialJusticeInAction #GOMAB #D9 #Service #SigmasServe #PANTH3R #MoSoul #Do4Love

#MuayThai#MuayThaiWe Teach More Than Just Martial Arts; we instill the values of kindness and community. ❤️ Giving back is essential in shaping our future leaders. During this season of giving and gratitude, let's empower our children to make a positive impact both on and off the mat! 🙌 Here are some fun ways to get your children involved in the act of giving back to the community this month: 🤲 Volunteer Time: Participate in community service projects together, such as helping at shelters or organizing clean-up days at parks. 💌 Thanksgiving Cards: Create handmade cards to send to veterans, seniors, or community helpers expressing gratitude. 🧸 Toys for Tots: Gather gently used toys or new toys to donate to other children in need during the holiday season. 😊 Acts of Kindness: Encourage your children to perform random acts of kindness, like helping a friend or writing positive notes for classmates. #BuildingCharacter #GivingBack #Murfreesboro #MuayThai

Tis the season for gratitude and community engagement, reflecting on ways to give back to our communities and beyond. Here are some impactful initiatives I was able to participate in this year: Re Launched Our Neighborhood Association: Collaborating with a few neighbors, we re-launched a 90-year-old association that was dormant. This required drafting new bylaws, collecting dues and establishing a new entity on our own dime and time (thank you Chatgpt for that bylaws draft!). We now host quarterly events, combat detrimental development projects, and have a visible improvement in neighborhood relations. Recent highlights include a block party, welcoming 250 attendees, 1,000+ trick-or-treaters, and a monthly newsletter on local updates and historical insights. In addition to having formal community activities, our focus is on enhancing security measures and adding street improvements to benefit the neighborhood experience. - **The Affordability Project:** Contributing as a board member and donor, we are constructing over 100 affordable housing units in San Francisco for essential workers such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, and educators, ensuring access to quality housing at below market rates. This is the first non profit project of its kind. https://lnkd.in/gsduS9bM - **San Francisco Parks Alliance:** Regular visits to the park with my family led me to support the Alliance's initiatives. By riding bikes and enjoying park outings, I recognized the importance of preservation. Furthermore, a generous donor matching program incentivized contributions, amplifying the impact of donations for park maintenance and enhancement. https://lnkd.in/gWfsikgP Instead of complaining, I decided to take action and while these efforts are time consuming, the rewards of new friendships and seeing dollars at work are priceless. #CommunityEngagement #Gratitude #ImpactfulGiving

Our next PROJECT CONNECT event with Valley of the Sun United Way is coming up on June 27th in Sunnyslope! We need volunteers to help us set up, take down and to make those important one on one connections with Clients. It's a great way to give back to the community, meet some new friends and contribute to the greater good! 🥰 Volunteer Registration 👇 https://lnkd.in/gq8taUrx Project Connect in Sunnyslope 📅📌 June 27th, 2024 Sunnyslope Family Services Center 914 W. Hatcher Road Phoenix, Arizona 85021 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁? Project Connect is a one-day homelessness services event. A true community effort to provide services where they're needed most - including ID replacements, pet care and pet supplies, mental and behavioral health services, haircuts and showers, housing applications, a hot meal, and more. None of this work is possible without VOLUNTEERS. If you have a group of friends or co-workers that want to sign up, reach out and we will help you coordinate! 💛 🤝 If you're a SERVICE PROVIDER, and you want to get involved in PROJECT CONNECT, we would love to work with you. We're always looking for new partnerships and ways to collaborate! Please don't hesitate to reach out to ask questions, and explore how you and your organization might be able to bring resources and relief to those in need. Questions? Please email Liz at: eroed@keystochangeaz.org #EndHomelessness #BeLikeMike #Community #Nonprofit #Volunteer #Support #HelpingOthers #GiveBack #Humanity #Hope #HelpTheHomeless #Leadership #GreaterGood #VolunteerAppreciation #VolunteersMakeItHappen #CollaborationIsKey🔑

Our next PROJECT CONNECT event with Valley of the Sun United Way is coming up on August 28th in Phoenix! VOLUNTEERS are NEEDED to help us set up, take down and to make those important one on one connections with Clients. It's a great way to give back to the community, meet some new friends and contribute to the greater good! 🥰 Volunteer Registration 👇 https://lnkd.in/gbqWgS24 Project Connect in Uptown Phoenix 📅📌 August 28th, 2024 First Christian Church 6750 N 7th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85013 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁? Project Connect is a one-day homelessness services event. A true community effort to provide services where they're needed most - including ID replacements, pet care and pet supplies, mental and behavioral health services, haircuts and showers, housing applications, a hot meal, and more. None of this work is possible without VOLUNTEERS. If you have a group of friends or co-workers that want to sign up, reach out and we will help you coordinate! 💛 🤝 If you're a SERVICE PROVIDER, and you want to get involved in PROJECT CONNECT, we would love to work with you. We're always looking for new partnerships and ways to collaborate! Please don't hesitate to reach out to ask questions, and explore how you and your organization might be able to bring resources and relief to those in need. Questions? Please email Liz at: eroed@keystochangeaz.org #EndHomelessness #BeLikeMike #Community #Nonprofit #Volunteer #Support #HelpingOthers #GiveBack #Humanity #Hope #HelpTheHomeless #Leadership #GreaterGood #VolunteerAppreciation #VolunteersMakeItHappen #CollaborationIsKey🔑

#MuayThai#MuayThaiWe Teach More Than Just Martial Arts; we instill the values of kindness and community. ❤️ Giving back is essential in shaping our future leaders. During this season of giving and gratitude, let's empower our children to make a positive impact both on and off the mat! 🙌 Here are some fun ways to get your children involved in the act of giving back to the community this month: 🤲 Volunteer Time: Participate in community service projects together, such as helping at shelters or organizing clean-up days at parks. 💌 Thanksgiving Cards: Create handmade cards to send to veterans, seniors, or community helpers expressing gratitude. 🧸 Toys for Tots: Gather gently used toys or new toys to donate to other children in need during the holiday season. 😊 Acts of Kindness: Encourage your children to perform random acts of kindness, like helping a friend or writing positive notes for classmates. #BuildingCharacter #GivingBack #Murfreesboro #MuayThai

🛐 Top 5 Ways Churches Offer Shelter to the Homeless During Winter When winter strikes, churches step up to provide warmth, safety, and compassion. Here’s how they support those in need during the coldest months: 1️⃣ Emergency Shelters: Many churches transform their halls into overnight shelters, offering beds and a warm space for those who have nowhere to go. 2️⃣ Warm Clothing Drives: Churches organize donations of jackets, scarves, gloves, and blankets to keep the homeless warm. 3️⃣ Hot Meals and Beverages: Soup kitchens and holiday feasts provide much-needed nourishment and warmth. 4️⃣ Community Outreach Programs: Churches partner with local organizations to offer resources like medical aid, job assistance, and counseling. 5️⃣ Holiday Support: From hosting Christmas dinners to gifting essential care packages, churches bring hope and joy to struggling individuals during the holidays. 💡 Want to get involved or learn more? Reach out to your local church and discover how you can make a difference. #WinterShelter #ChurchHelp #HolidaySeason #CompassionInAction #CommunityCare

WOULD YOU RATHER create trash, or create lasting change? That’s the question our friends at the Healthy Giving Council have for you. Because listen - the holidays can be an especially difficult time for people struggling with homelessness and family separation. And the natural response from good-hearted people is to find ways to make the season brighter for our unhoused neighbors. But did you know? Not all giving is created equal. ⚖️ 💛 In particular, street giving is especially popular around the holiday season, with some unintended consequences – more litter on the streets, food-borne illness, and other public health and safety concerns. And then what about the other 10 months of the year? The good news is that there’s a better way!! There are many organizations – including the 14 partners at Key Campus – that have the structure, expertise, and procedures in place to provide both immediate relief AND long-term solutions to homelessness. These organizations need your time, talent, and treasure to keep lights on, bellies full, and hope alive. 🤲 🥰 We join with the Healthy Giving Council to challenge you to create lasting change through year-round philanthropy. Whether it’s through volunteer work, wish list donations, or monetary gifts – your support provides hope, which is the gift that keeps on giving. 🙏 Learn more at givesmartaz.org #EndHomelessness #KeysToChangeAZ #KeyCampus #CollaborationIsKey🔑 Healthy Giving Council City of Phoenix Andre House Brighter Way Institute Circle the City Community Bridges Elaine - SDOH Transportation Community Legal Services of Arizona Homeless ID Project St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Charities Community Services A New Leaf St. Vincent de Paul Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Arizona Department of Economic Security Chaplaincy for the Homeless UMOM New Day Centers

On National Build Day, Alabama Professional Services and Sleep in Heavenly Peace joined forces to tackle a daunting issue: child bedlessness. This initiative aimed to provide hand-made beds to children who, without this support, would have to sleep on floors or couches, contributing to severe health and emotional challenges. Reflecting on my own experiences, I remember volunteering for community projects similar to this where we came together, rolled up our sleeves, and made a tangible impact. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about working collectively to uplift those in need—it's a reminder of the positive change we can create in our communities. Did you know that sleep deprivation can lead to hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression in children? The bedlessness crisis is real, and initiatives like these are crucial for fostering healthier futures for our youth. What can you do to contribute to this cause? Consider volunteering your time or donating to organizations that address these pressing issues. Together, we can bring hope and comfort to the lives of children. #ChildWelfare #CommunitySupport #Volunteer #SleepInHeavenlyPeace #AlabamaProfessionalServices #NationalBuildDay