Feedback: July 2024

Q: What programs do you have to encourage volunteerism among your employees, and why?

Laurel Lewis, SIOR

Managing Director
NAI Horizon
Sector: Commercial Real Estate

NAI Horizon has a rich history of philanthropy and volunteering that aligns with the firm’s values. Team members are inspired by the energy of giving and volunteering at NAI Horizon.

This year, we took a poll to determine which charitable groups spark enthusiasm and resonate with individual passions and narrowed it to four categories: children, veterans, animals and marginalized populations.

A vote determined our quarterly focus. We provide opportunities to give of time, talent and treasure, including a needs drive, 50/50 raffle, paid time off for in-person volunteering and monetary donations.

We make it fun, post signs, share stories and communicate results. A few employee quotes tell our story:

• “I volunteer because we choose local charities impacting our community.”
• “I was a recipient of donations as a child and now that I can give, I do.”
• “I have never worked at a company with an atmosphere of so many giving hearts.”
• “It inspires gratitude in my life as I see the plight of others.”

Volunteerism contributes to our positive, engaged and cohesive work environment, with equal opportunity.

Laurel Lewis, SIOR, is a managing director at NAI Horizon. She represents landlords and tenants through the sale and leasing of multi-tenant office properties in Metro Phoenix. She is a force both in the field and in the community. Lewis volunteers with Andre House and the Valley Partnership Community Project. She has also volunteered with New Pathways for Youth, having served as a mentor to young women.

Jaime Spinato

Co-owner & Director of Community Outreach
Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen
Sector: Restaurant

Our Spinato’s family has been committed to serving the community for 50 years. In 2009, we established the Kenneth A. Spinato Foundation, which encourages a high standard of service and leadership. Ken is the patriarch of our family, and he is also a military veteran. As a foundation and a business, we have aligned three pillars that are close to our hearts: kids, veterans and service animals.

Over the years, we have had different volunteerism programs for our employees. Recently, we established 26 fundamentals that we shared with our team, and one of them is to “Serve outside our walls.” We know that volunteerism programs help with retention but, for us, it really goes beyond that. We want our team members to support causes that are close to their own hearts.

That’s one reason we offer two paid days (16 hours) in our benefits package for volunteering. Team members can choose to spend this time volunteering for their own favorite nonprofit, or they can volunteer at one of our Spinato’s charitable programs throughout the year.

Jaime Spinato is Spinato’s Pizzeria & Family Kitchen’s co-owner, director of community outreach and brand manager. She holds a culinary arts degree, and she has been instrumental in Spinato’s recipe development, particularly as it relates to gluten-free and healthy menu options. In her role as director of community outreach, she manages all of Spinato’s philanthropic programs. 

Stephanie Stewart

President
Russ Lyon Foundation
Sector: Nonprofit

Ten years ago, we started the Russ Lyon Foundation, a nonprofit that invests in charitable organizations and events across the state. It is funded by direct company, Advisor and employee investment. An equally important part of the Russ Lyon Foundation is our V-Corps, which stands for Volunteer Corps. Each of our 13 Russ Lyon Sotheby’s offices has a Russ Lyon Foundation representative and V-Corps team that participates hands-on in projects and events that each office chooses. These group service-work events provide a wonderful and safe opportunity for our Advisors, employees and executives to work together, outside the office and for the benefit of those in need.

Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Because our people want to help those in need. Because good fortune comes with an obligation to help others in a dignified way. Because helping others nourishes our souls, makes us better people and a better company.

As of this, our 10th year, we are closing in on the $1,000,000 invested milestone and have accumulated more than 15,000 hours of community service hours.

Stephanie Stewart is president of Russ Lyon Foundation, a charitable arm of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, an Arizona-based, 77-year-young full-service real estate brokerage. The brokerage has more than 900 Global Real Estate Advisors across the state, from Tubac and Tucson in the South all through the Valley to Prescott, Sedona and Flagstaff in the North.