Together, we make a difference: Raymond James Cares Month 2023

Raymond James associates, advisors, family and friends volunteered more than 9,600 hours in the firm's 12th annual month of giving.

Supporting the communities where we live and work

Each year, our associates and advisors across the firm team up and give back during the month of May for Raymond James Cares Month. In 2023, more than 3,600 associates, advisors, family members and friends across the United States, United Kingdom and Canada came together to make a difference. 

Volunteers served 9,685 hours – a 37% increase from 2022 – toward 251 charitable organizations. They collectively served and packed 126,047 meals, donated 45,960 pounds of food and collected 14,096 household items for people in need. Our roots run deep in volunteerism, and giving back to our communities is an important part of who we are – a value that’s demonstrated by our associates year-round, and especially each May.

Feeding our neighbors 

Volunteers prepared, packed and served more than 125,000 meals for individuals and families in need this year. For many associates, fighting food insecurity in our local communities is a top priority.

A full 80 volunteers across various branches and departments in New York City chose to support Crossroads Community Services by making and distributing sandwiches as part of the organization’s dinner program. 

Our Mount Laurel and Princeton branches teamed up to volunteer at two pop-up food pantries at the Food Bank of South Jersey. Volunteers successfully assembled food care packages and gave them out to over 100 families in need. 

“It was a rewarding experience for us, and all the volunteers involved,” Mount Laurel Complex Administrative Manager Bill Rivel said.

Further west in Boulder, Colorado, volunteers quite literally sorted and stacked a ton – 2,000 pounds – of nonperishable food at the Emergency Family Assistance Association as part of their Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Their work helped 500 families across the local community.

Continuing the spirit of food-related giving, three of our home office teams – Marketing, Cash Solutions and RJFS Ops & Admin – played their part in supporting The Kind Mouse. Our teams of volunteers sorted and labeled tens of thousands of nonperishable food items for the local food pantry, which serves children in need in the St. Petersburg, Florida, area.

Supporting children

This Raymond James Cares Month, many teams chose to support organizations focused on serving children and teens.

Several Memphis associates volunteered at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry, helping to distribute much-needed diapers and supplies to 400 families across the Memphis community. 

“Raymond James associates embraced the opportunity to volunteer at Sweet Cheeks, where they’re able to see firsthand the profound impact their volunteer time has on the local community,” Fixed Income Junior Strategist Katherine White said. “Whether participating in a wrapping session or a community distribution day, these experiences are truly heartwarming as they directly contribute to the well-being of babies and toddlers in Memphis. By devoting their time and energy, Raymond James associates create a positive difference in the lives of these young ones, fostering a stronger, healthier future for the entire community.”

And just over 1,000 miles away, the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, branch continued its 10-year-long support for Cradles to Crayons by spending a night in their warehouse sorting and cleaning donated items. 

In what’s become a tradition for many of our associates across Canada, this year over 400 people were energized to participate in the third annual RJ 5K for Kids. With the Raymond James Canada Foundation Match, $200,000 was raised for Little Warriors, an organization focused on the awareness, prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.

“At Raymond James, we believe in supporting the causes that matter most to our advisors and associates,” Raymond James Canada Foundation Executive Director Eric Saarvala said. “Our third annual 5K for Kids saw associates, advisors, family members and friends from across Canada come together in support of an organization committed to advocating for some of the most vulnerable among us. We’ve all heard the saying, 'let’s leave a better world to our kids.' Let's also leave better kids to our world.”

And in support of the Children’s Dream Fund, an organization that makes dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses, members of the Financial Institutions Division spent a day supporting a family in Seminole, Florida. Volunteers planted fresh flower beds near the home’s entryway, cleaned and replaced greenery surrounding the mailbox, trimmed existing flora and picked up yard debris.

Caring for furry friends

More than 150 Raymond James volunteers spent their time supporting organizations focused on animals. Wealth Planning associates hosted their annual “Cupcakes for Critters” bake sale in support of Friends of Strays – a local no-kill animal shelter.

“We sold over 1,100 cupcakes and raised over $4,800," Wealth Planning Project Manager Renee Whitehead said. "The sale was an overwhelming success and we surpassed all of our goals.”

Also in Tampa Bay, Capital Access, Insurance Solutions, ACH/Cash Control and Service & Delivery associates partnered to host a sold-out bingo fundraiser in support of Suncoast Animal League, whose work helps support animals in need of care through fostering and medical support.

Further north, members of our Timonium, Maryland, branch volunteered their Saturday morning at Maryland Horse Rescue. 

“The organization fills the need of taking in horses from any and all situations,” Branch/Complex Business Coordinator Erin Beane said. “They have several blind horses, as well as some that were neglected, abused or hurt. Each volunteer pours their heart and soul into the care of their horses. It was a pleasure to work with the people, and horses, of Maryland Horse Rescue!”

And a team of Compliance volunteers took the time to support Pinellas County Animal Services, cleaning, feeding, socializing with and helping cats and dogs get ready for foster life. Marcus Afzali said, 

“It was a rewarding experience seeing how an animal shelter is run,” Compliance Manager Marcus Afzali said. “We have a whole new appreciation for everything that goes into it and exactly how important it is for volunteers to make the program successful.”

Building homes and dreams

Giving back to our communities to make them stronger is a core part of our ethos, during and beyond Raymond James Cares Month. 

Associates across the United States collectively volunteered more than 270 hours toward Habitat for Humanity in May – a cause that’s been making homeownership a reality for low-income individuals and families since 1985.

• A few Habitat for Humanity highlights from this year include:
• Our Rockford, Illinois, branch helped to erect walls for a local home build.
• Volunteers from Beyond Wealth Advisors, an independent branch in Manhattan, Kansas, worked together to build a wheelchair ramp to improve access and mobility for a local resident with Proteus syndrome. 
• Hendel Wealth Management Group, an independent branch in Smithtown, New York, sent volunteers to add the finishing touches to the landscaping of two new homes.

“Each year, our team at Hendel Wealth Management Group takes great pride in volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of Long Island,” said Jeffrey Hendel, president and CEO of Hendel Wealth Management Group and senior financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services. “It’s such a wonderful opportunity for our team to come together for an incredible experience and is deeply rewarding knowing that our efforts will eventually help to place an extremely well-deserving family into an affordable, stable and sustainable home.”

Our total impact

Together, Raymond James associates across the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom made a difference in the communities where we live and work.*

• Over 200 teams comprised of 3,628 volunteers led community service projects in 110 local communities – including donation drives, beach cleanups, virtual fundraisers, food packing, card making, mentoring and more.
• Volunteers donated 9,685 hours toward 251 nonprofit organizations
• Associates raised more than $375,000 in monetary donations, collected 45,960 pounds of food, served and packed 126,047 meals, donated 14,096 non-perishable items, and cleaned up 1,933 pounds of trash. 

*All results are approximate

Raymond James Cares

Together, we make a difference to build, strengthen and grow our communities. To learn more about the firm’s corporate philanthropy, click here.

To see how associates give back all year long, follow Raymond James on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.