A group of people stand together for a photo outside a building.

Celebrate Giving Back: National Volunteer Week

Posted on by Nathan Stelter

At Stelter, we understand the importance of volunteers.

Through our volunteer time off (VTO) program, full-time Stelter employees can use up to eight hours of paid time off to volunteer each year. In 2022, 73% of our employees took part in the program, spending a total of 412 VTO hours helping nonprofits in their local communities.

Today I want to celebrate these special people. The time you give to help make a difference in your communities is commendable. Thank you!

What did they spend their VTO time on? Here are some highlights:

Nourishing Our Community

Last April, Stelter volunteers spent the afternoon at the Supply Hive’s community garden in Des Moines, Iowa. They prepped garden beds, cleared out weeds and brush, planted fruits, veggies, and flowers, prepared laundry kits, stocked shelves with donated items and made tote bags for neighbors to grab and go what they need.

Two people outside building a raised garden bed.
A woman outside gardening.
A woman outside with a cordless drill, building something with sheet metal.
A woman outside weeding a garden.
A man and woman stand by a counter filled with donations.
A group of people posing for a photo outside after volunteering together.

(Click images to enlarge)

Crafting With Care

At our June all-company meeting, employees were given the opportunity to join various volunteer sessions. The focus of one session was making items for The Farm School in Massachusetts. By the end of the day, the group made 12 reusable supermarket bags, 12 aprons, 18 stocking hats, various gifts, bags and cards.

A group of people sit around a table making crafts.
A variety of handmade items sit on a counter.
A group of people sit around a table crafting.
Stocking hats and other items on a table.
A variety of handmade crafts.

Holiday Cheer

Around the holidays there is never a shortage of ways to help others. One Stelter group worked with the West Des Moines Human Services Giftland Program to organize hundreds of toys and prepare “Giftland” for families in need. Others wrapped Christmas presents for children and teenagers at a Johnston, Iowa, nonprofit, Ellipsis. A few braved the cold weather and spent hours ringing The Salvation Army Red Kettlebell outside a local grocery store.

Two women sit at a table with wrapped presents in front of them.
Three women smiling holding up gift wrapping supplies.
Two women's faces, smiling.
Woman smiles standing at table wrapping presents.
A group of women standing together smiling surrounded by toys.

Building Together

A group of 15 Stelter women took part in the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity Women Build project. They installed doors, trim, closets, kitchen cabinets, laminate flooring and more for a house that will provide affordable housing for a local family. In addition to their sweat equity, their “Stelter for Shelter” team raised $2,568.67 for the program. Never ones to be left out, a group of Stelter men put on their hard hats one October afternoon for Habitat as well.

A group of women standing outside with hardhats on in front of a house.
Four men stand together outside in front of a house wearing hard hats.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that many of the projects our staff participates in are organized by our internal committees, one in particular being the Stelter Stitcher’s. This group combines their crafting abilities and philanthropic pursuits, planning a project per quarter to benefit a local nonprofit. The Wellness, Gardening, DEI and WorkLife committees also lend a hand in planning VTO opportunities.

This just barely scratches the surface of the volunteer work our staff have put in over the past year. They are such a caring, compassionate group of individuals and I am so proud to have them out in our communities representing The Stelter Company.

Your Turn

I know that for most of you, volunteers play a critical role in fulfilling your mission. Have you thanked them lately? Now would be a great time to do so! The month of April is National Volunteer Month, this week is National Volunteer Week and tomorrow (April 20) is Volunteer Recognition Day! Don’t miss this opportunity to let your volunteers know how much they matter—to you, your mission and the communities you serve.

(Enjoy a few more photos of our staff in action. See if you recognize any of your Stelter team! Click images to enlarge and read detail of the activity.)

A boy and woman sit in chairs by a tent.
A man and boy sit at a table eating a school lunch.
A group of people standing in front of a building smiling.
Three women stand together outside with baskets around them.
Two women standing together inside a building smiling.
Two women standing together outside a building smiling.
People standing and sitting outside.
A group of people outside holding trash bags.
A woman and large white dog kneel together.
A group of men holding power tools wearing hard hats.
Four women stand together holding a sign.
Two men kneeling in the grass smiling next to a bucket and stone.
Four people stand together in aprons, masks and hairnets.
A group of people together outside a building.
Two women stand together inside a building.
Two women smiling with bags of potatoes.
A group of people standing together outside.
Four men stand together outside.

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