Making Time To Give: Embrace Home Loans Supports Volunteer Efforts

By KIMBERLEY HAAS

Employees at Embrace Home Loans give back to their local communities every year as part of a company-wide initiative called Orange Week and leaders there say volunteer opportunities make a positive impact on their workforce.

As the national mortgage lender celebrated its 41^st year in business, employees volunteered to honor fallen soldiers, spread cheer to hospitalized children, help animals in need, fight food insecurity, improve living conditions for seniors, and more in June.

President Ryan “Buddy” Hardiman said in a statement that the best way to celebrate the company’s anniversary is to give back to the communities they serve.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team members for donating their time to so many worthy causes. At Embrace, we strive to make a positive impact on others, whether it’s helping people achieve homeownership or providing support where needed,” Hardiman said.

According to the company’s community page, Orange Week is celebrated annually, and employees spend time volunteering at nonprofit organizations throughout the country. Over 50 causes are supported.

Derek Lombard, senior vice president of human resources, recently sat down with The Mortgage Note to share more about the event and how it has evolved over the years.

Lombard said Orange Week started more than two decades ago when company leaders decided to replace annual company outings with opportunities to give back to the local community.

“At that point in time, we had an office here in Middletown, Rhode Island, that employed hundreds of people and we did one activity together and that was really exciting,” Lombard said. “Over time, we grew and grew, and it became harder and harder to find a project where so many of us could participate at one time because it got to a point where we would get to a project, and we finished it so quickly.”

The company-wide concept was switched to individual departments and branches. When employees had the opportunity to choose community service projects that resonated with them, Lombard said an even bigger impact was felt.

Lombard said Embrace Home Loans helps to financially support the community service of the teams and takes the feedback of employees to heart. They even took a company-wide vote to see if they should stop giving out event T-shirts due to concerns about the environmental impact. When keeping the T-shirts narrowly won, the company purchased shirts that were made out of recyclable materials.

Asked what the return on investment is for giving back to local communities, Lombard said they don’t have an expectation of growing their business in this way. However, employees who know they are supported on the corporate level naturally serve customers better.

Lombard said getting their employees out into the community helps to refresh them and lets them see things from another perspective.

“They can see how they can make the world a better place and they bring that new perspective back to the workplace,” Lombard said.

“We do monthly award ceremonies, we do trips, we do contests, and all types of things, but I will say, and I can honestly say, that when we talk about things that are memorable to us, volunteering often comes to the top of the list,” Lombard said.

“You’re talking about return on investment. I would put this ahead of monthly celebrations, luncheons, contests, trip destinations, as something that resonates with people.”

Lombard said in addition to Orange Week, Embrace Home Loans supports employees who volunteer their time outside of work by paying them for up to 100 hours. They also match donations to charities up to $2,500 per employee, per year.

Founded in 1983, Embrace Home Loans is based in Middletown, Rhode Island, and licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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