Community Services & Volunteerism at Schwab with Casey C.
By: Beau H., Content Manager
At Charles Schwab, our spirit of service isn't just a buzzword—it's foundational, empowering us to actively participate in the communities we call home. Through education, volunteerism, employee giving and more, we foster care and connection that makes a positive impact in people’s lives.
We sat down with Casey C., a Director in Schwab Community Affairs, to talk about the many ways Schwab lends a helping hand. Keep reading to learn about her professional journey, why the work she does is so meaningful, and how our community programs continue to grow and evolve alongside our company.
Q: Could you tell us about yourself and what you do?
Casey: “Sure. I have been with Schwab for nearly seven years as the Director of Programs for Schwab Community Affairs and the Charles Schwab Foundation. I oversee our philanthropy and employee giving programs. My team and I manage our grant-making to support core social causes like financial literacy, partnering with organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Girl Scouts of the USA. We also activate local philanthropy through our community ambassador teams, and manage our employee volunteerism and giving programs, including Schwab Volunteer Week, Season of Giving, and benefits like employee matching gifts and volunteer time. I came to Schwab after working in a similar role at another financial services firm, attracted by the unique culture of service that’s been embedded in our firm since day one.”
Q: How did Schwab Volunteer Week get its start?
Casey: “Volunteerism at Schwab has been formalized for over 20 years, initiated by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz. She created a structured volunteer program, starting with a single day of service. As participation grew, so did the need for more opportunities to volunteer, and we adapted our program to make it easily accessible to our 30,000+ employees. We didn’t want people to miss the chance to participate because of time off or work schedules, so we broadened it to two weeks and created a wide variety of project options so that everyone can find an opportunity that inspires them.”
Q: What’s new for Schwab Community Services and volunteerism in 2024?
Casey: “This year marked our first in-office Volunteer Week since 2019, and due to the integration of TD Ameritrade and changes brought by the pandemic, we learned a lot about what people care about and what communities need. So this year we offered the widest range of volunteer opportunities ever, including on-site, off-site, virtual kit-building, drop-in projects, and micro-volunteerism. Really, something for everyone."
"Last year, we introduced a national volunteer service project during Season of Giving, assembling healthy meal packs for families in need, and we will be offering that again in 2024. And we also removed the minimum contribution for our employee matching gifts program, allowing any donation amount to be matched up to $1,000. This gives everyone the opportunity to contribute, regardless of their financial situation.”
Q: What resources are given to employees who want to lead their own volunteer projects?
Casey: “We provide step-by-step guides to create high-quality volunteer projects, covering everything from initial nonprofit contact to day-of logistics and communication. We also offer group volunteer grants for teams of 5 Schwabbie volunteers or more who contribute a minimum of 20 volunteer hours at a single project, allowing employees to direct more philanthropic dollars to their chosen causes. And our community ambassadors in each of our 14 key employee centers help champion volunteerism locally and assist in posting projects on Schwab Gives, our volunteer portal.”
Q: How have you seen volunteerism evolve at Schwab during your time here?
Casey: “Over the years, we’ve seen consistent enthusiasm for volunteerism across all levels of employees. The acquisition of TD Ameritrade brought new employee centers and more participants in our national volunteer projects. We’ve diversified volunteer opportunities, including drop-in projects and micro-volunteerism, to accommodate different schedules. But one of the biggest evolutions was the development of our Moneywise America program, offering new ways for employees to participate in financial literacy volunteerism. Through Moneywise America, we provide robust training and partnerships to help employees confidently bring quality financial education to communities in need.”
Q: Can you share some unique, creative, or heartfelt volunteer events at Schwab?
Casey: “Two events stand out. First, the Moneywise America Experience in Westlake, where we hosted 200 high school seniors for financial literacy sessions, career panels, and awarded $1,000 scholarships to each student. The second is a military-themed project with Operation Gratitude during Volunteer Week, where employees built bears for children of deployed military personnel. These events highlighted the emotional and practical impact of our volunteer efforts.”
Q: How does Schwab Community Affairs work with the Charles Schwab Foundation?
Casey: “Schwab Community Affairs manages the philanthropic work of Charles Schwab Foundation, setting high-level strategy and directing grant-making dollars. We use volunteerism to support our financial literacy grant work, as well as to support employee-driven causes."
"Ancillary to the Foundation’s grant work, Community Affairs also manages the Schwab Moneywise education website and the biweekly Money Talk column, where four professionals from Schwab help educate more people broadly about personal finance needs. On top of all that, we also run our Instagram channel. For us, making content accessible to people through a variety of channels is an important way to help younger audiences be aware of the resources that we offer.”
“So, while the work of Community Affairs is broader than that of the Charles Schwab Foundation, it’s all an integrated effort around personal finance, education, and fostering strong communities through volunteerism and service.”
Q: How will Schwab Community Services continue to improve and expand?
Casey: “We make data-informed decisions and listen to employees and stakeholders so we know that we’re meeting their needs. We continually research trends in philanthropy and volunteerism to stay updated about what’s new in the marketplace – are there new nonprofits that we haven't worked with before? Or are there new group giving and virtual volunteer opportunities that we aren’t aware of? By asking these questions, we're looking to see what other resources we can provide that help each individual employee feel empowered to participate in service and giving.”
Q: What attracted you to work in corporate philanthropy?
Casey: “I’ve always wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, and like the idea that I can meaningfully contribute to the world. For a while, I did that by working with a nonprofit young leadership organization that uses the performing arts, travel, and community service to break down barriers between cultures. That was one of my first points of exposure to using service as a means to create commonality among people.”
“From there, I kind of stumbled into corporate philanthropy at a previous financial services firm. I was one of the few people in the firm that had nonprofit experience, and was really excited to learn that I could help an entire organization be strategic about their giving. The minute that I started working in this space, I knew it’s what I wanted to do.”
“I then saw the role with Schwab, and I knew a lot of people who worked here and heard such good things about the culture. I wanted to be a part of a company that does things the right way, and would make the proper investment in corporate philanthropy.”
Q: Can you share a favorite moment from your career in Corporate Philanthropy?
Casey: “One of my favorite moments was participating in a ‘reality store’ at Boys and Girls Clubs, where teens simulate financial decision-making. There was one station called For life’s unexpected moments, and the teens would go over and get handed a card. They’d exclaim things like ‘I'm having triplets!’ or ‘I just won the lottery! How am I going to use my money?’. They would just say the funniest things, and it's very grounding to see their personalities come out as they realize they need to plan for their futures. Watching them make connections between concepts and real life was enlightening, and it’s these experiences that affirm the importance of our programs and their impact on young people.”
Closing thoughts
As Schwab continues to grow, so too does our commitment to helping people and communities thrive. Our spirit of service is a testament to the power of collective action and shows the difference that dedicated, empowered employees like Casey can make. After more than 20 years, and with the addition of initiatives like Schwab Volunteer Week, Moneywise, company-wide giving, and employee-led volunteering projects, we keep finding ways to create positive change in the world.
(0824-G8EP)