Dollars for Doers

Giving Back to the Community

One of the ways we do that is by supporting our employees’ volunteer efforts through our Dollars for Doers program. This annual grant program allows employees to nominate a nonprofit organization where they volunteer to receive $1,000 from Navy Federal. This year, 100 different organizations received that support. That means $100,000 went back to helping build up our communities across the country!

There are so many reasons our team members volunteer. Our backgrounds may be different, but our shared passion and purpose drive us to give back and fulfill the mission—together. We’re proud to share a few of our Dollars for Doers stories with you here:

K9s for Warriors

Joshua Hughes, a branch member service representative, volunteers with the nonprofit K9s for Warriors. Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s for Warriors provides highly trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.

“K9s for Warriors gives back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country while also giving homeless dogs a chance to find a forever home,” shared Joshua.

The branch Joshua works at teamed up with several other branches within the region to hold Kans 4 K9s, a can collection drive. They collected over 100 pounds worth of cans, with the proceeds helping K9s for Warriors purchase service vests, collars and leads for the service dogs in training.

“Kans 4 K9s was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve been a part of,” said Joshua. “Our efforts aided in the adoption and training of service dogs, Kane I and Kane II.”

Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation

Another team member, Leah Bierwirth, works with the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation. A member service representative here, she chose this organization to honor a family member who served several decades in the U.S. Air Force. This organization helps veterans file pension and other benefits claims and offers additional assistance at no charge.

“Veterans and their families camp out the night before to get assistance from the Foundation staff,” explained Leah. “Receiving the Dollars for Doers grant will provide more resources for the team to continue doing the important work they do.”

In addition to the $1,000 grant, Navy Federal also donated 20 desktop computers and accessories to assist with an intake event, helping serve more than 230 new Foundation clients in just 4 hours.

“It makes me proud to work for an organization who understands the power of service,” shared Leah.

Boulder Crest Foundation

As part of our Operation: Give Back program, team members at Navy Federal receive 8 hours of paid leave to volunteer in their community. Contact center supervisor Lucas Eckerson was challenged by his supervisor to use those hours.

He quickly came up with a plan to give back with the Boulder Crest Foundation. This nonprofit provides training to make sure combat veterans, first responders and their families can live great lives in the aftermath of trauma.

Lucas’ team got out of the office to clean up around Boulder Crest Foundation’s training facilities, which included painting a bridge on a nature trail and cleaning up several cabins.

“I think it's important to understand the challenges and suffering our veterans face,” he explained.
The dedication and commitment of Navy Federal employees goes beyond helping members with their financial needs. They’re community champions with a heart for giving back and creating meaningful change in the communities where they live and serve.

We’re incredibly proud of the work our employees do to better serve their local communities. Check out how two of our employees are giving back through our employee volunteer program.

Author Bio: Brandi Gomez is a proud military spouse and serves as a corporate communications strategist at Navy Federal. In her role, she helps lead the credit union’s corporate social responsibility program through national nonprofit partnerships, manage external communications and media relations for its worldwide branch network, and coordinate public affairs efforts for its Greater Pensacola Operations campus.