Osaic Foundation Newsletter
Three questions with Osaic Foundation Executive Director Patrick Brennan
Osaic Foundation Executive Director Patrick Brennan (far right) joins Chairman Lon Dolber in greeting advisor David Felpel to the 2024 Face of America cycling challenge, one of many interactive volunteerism events sponsored by the Foundation this year for advisors, their staff, and home office employees.
What’s exciting is that the company priorities of Partnership, Growth, and Community were intentionally built into how our Foundation was structured, right from its launch last year with the support and encouragement of our Chairman, Lon Dolber.
For instance, with partnership, our volunteer board members include executives from our Advisor Engagement team, Corporate Strategy, as well as Human Resources and other functional experts. Our Board program committees also now include 50+ Financial Professionals and 20+ home office employees—from every region of the country. Their perspectives helped us craft—and now execute—a robust and diverse set of outreach programs open to all who are affiliated with Osaic.
Regarding growth, our volunteer programs provide an in-person forum where Financial Professionals can network and develop relationships to share best practices with peers within their region, as well as with home office employees. They really do inspire one another!
Our grant programs and in-person events also cultivate community, in the sense of an outlet where Osaic people with a like-minded commitment to volunteerism can meet and join efforts to have a larger impact for those in need.
I’ll give you a two-part answer. I worked in the non-profit sector for 10 years after college and observed the passion, commitment, and friendships developed by volunteers who had a personal vested interest in the charities they supported.
Later, when I worked at a global company headquarters, I was tasked with increasing our United Way support among employees. We assigned each department a local charity to support with hands-on volunteer work—and afterward saw a dramatic increase in our United Way totals.
It was clear that once people came face-to-face with community needs, they wanted to help more financially as well. A side benefit we didn’t expect was the many new friendships cultivated between our employees and executives that carried over into the workplace!
Fast forward to 2017, a few months after Osaic President and CEO Jamie Price joined the company. We talked about our post-AIG community service footprint. He was—and still is—convinced that, although our competitors may be able to match us in products, features, and price, they can never match the caliber of people we have. We subsequently adopted a “people first” focus in our community outreach efforts, with an emphasis on teamwork and relationship-building. When the Foundation came into being, it was a natural step to align our funding levels to in-person volunteer effort.
In practice it looks like this: we only accept grant applications from Osaic-affiliated Financial Professionals and their staff members, and home office employees. No outside requests. And the level of our grants is tied to the number of volunteer hours and the volunteer role the Osaic applicant has with their charity. For our major regional events, a key factor in funding is the amount of face-to-face volunteer engagement between the Osaic team members which will occur.
Our 2024 grant program and event programs so far this year have been very successful: more than $800,000 has been disbursed and we’re currently building out plans to execute the remaining 2024 major experiential events.
But help is still needed! All of these are still open to those who wish to help or design them for success. Check out the upcoming opportunities to have an impact and email OsaicFoundation@Osaic.com to let us know if you would like to learn more or offer to help.
The event I am really excited about is our most ambitious effort ever: executing an in-person company-wide engagement—all in a similar timeframe. Throughout October we will be supporting participation in local walk-a-thons to benefit the American Cancer Society, culminating in a special walk-a-thon experience for participants at ConnectED. Cancer affects so many of us, whether it be family members or friends. Watch for more details in the Q3 Osaic Foundation newsletter.
Grants Totaling $421,550 Awarded to 239 charities in 97 Communities in 40 States
The Foundation spread out this year's $421,550 to charities in 97 communities in 40 states, almost double the number of states with recipients in 2023. The grants were distributed in May to multiple health and human service organizations, education initiatives, cultural activities, and civic service organizations in the local communities in which our Financial Professionals and home office employees volunteer their time and expertise.
View grant recipients by region
Selection process
All charities receiving grants were nominated by Financial Professionals who practice hands-on volunteerism. Applications were reviewed by a Committee of Financial Professionals and Employees, and approved by the Osaic Foundation Board of Directors. While reviewing and scoring applications, committee members took into consideration the nominator’s level of hands-on volunteer involvement and other factors.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Local Grant Program or the Osaic Foundation, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at OsaicFoundation@Osaic.com.
Opportunities to Have an Impact
Regional volunteers are needed on each of the following program or event committees to share ideas on logistics and execution. This is a wonderful opportunity to ensure an outstanding outcome for our participants and designated charities – plus a chance to network with other advisors and home office employees.
To learn more or offer your help, drop a quick email indicating your interest to OsaicFoundation@osaic.com.
Volunteerism Calendar
Join with others from Osaic in community service.
Volunteerism in action
SOUPer Bowl+ Campaign
Our annual SOUPer Bowl+ campaign, timed to coincide with the Super Bowl in early February, raised $56,481 from Osaic employees and financial professionals and their staffs.
This brings the total amount to more than $175,000 raised by Team Osaic to address food insecurity over the past six years of this enterprise effort.
The funds were donated to Feeding America and support food banks across the country. Learn more.
Valley of the Sun Cycling Challenge
The Osaic Foundation sponsored the inaugural ride of the Valley of the Sun Cycling Challenge, held in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 27.
Osaic advisors, one client and a group of Osaic home office employees joined the challenge to ride alongside adaptive and able-bodied veterans and first responders who have given so much in their service.
This event will be conducted again in Scottsdale January 28 – Feb. 1…watch for registration details later this summer, or contact osaicfoundation@osaic.com.
HeartWalk
A team of six home office employees in Phoenix represented Team Osaic March 23 at the annual HeartWalk event sponsored by the American Heart Association. Their efforts raised more than $2,500 the cause and gave them time to get to know each better as well.
Career Panel at W Forum
A group of students in the Presidential Scholars program at Miami-Dade college were guests at this year’s W Forum. The students enjoyed a career panel Q&A hosted by Lon Dolber, two advisors and four home office executives.They also attended one of the general sessions and toured the Marketplace exhibits.
Students gave top scores in a post-event survey, with one noting, “I am taking all the valuable and beautiful advice I’ve received from today, and will definitely carry it with me in which not only helps me with my career but also personally.”
Osaic Financial Literacy Challenge
The first Osaic Financial Literacy Challenge at the annual Virtual Enterprises (VEI) Youth Business Summit was judged by 11 metro New York advisors who volunteered their time at the Javits Center. Hundreds of student business teams from high schools across the US participated; each judge evaluated 6 teams.
Partnering with VEI student programs is a year-round effort by the Osaic Foundation. Employees and advisors and staff members are needed as volunteers.Learn more by sending an inquiry to osaicfoundation@osaic.com
Face of America Cycling Challenge
The Osaic Foundation was the presenting sponsor once again for the inclusive cycling challenge, Face of America, a 112-mile ride from Arlington, Va. to Gettysburg, PA over two days. Cyclists ride alongside adaptive and able-bodied veterans and first responders who have given so much to serve our country.
A team of 17 advisors, staff and home office employees participated this year, spending time networking and developing relationships with veterans and each other. The event raised $800,000.
Food pack event in Minneapolis
Target Field in Minneapolis, home of the Twins, was the site of a community "packing event" by the charity Feed My Starving Children May 21-22.
Team Osaic sported 23 volunteers, primarily advisors, to aid the event, and ultimately packed 7,582 meals, enough to feed 20.8 kids for a year!Overall the two-day community event packed nearly 1 million meals.
Hurricane Prep Kits for New Orleans
Aided by a $15,000 grant from the Osaic Foundation, NXT attendees helped New Orleans prepare for the next hurricane during their May 22 conference.The charity, Hands On New Orleans, worked with the NXT Council to stage 4 tables with 8 “pass-thru” lanes outside the Marketplace ahead of the opening night reception.
NXT attendees moved efficiently down the tables filling tote bags with essential hurricane prep supplies such as flashlights, batteries, wipes, lotions, first-aid kits and more.The charity noted, “this would have taken us 2 weeks to complete, your team did it in 25 minutes!”
Hurricane season for the region started June 1. The kits will be distributed to those in need throughout the city.
Disaster Response Team
The newly-formed Disaster Response team of the Osaic Foundation had its first test with the devastating May tornadoes and flooding in Nebraska.After a quick call by the joint advisor-employee team with the La Vista Site Employee Activities Committee (EAC), an appeal went out to all advisors and employees in the region to support the Tornado Relief Fund for Nebraska and Iowa administered by United Way of the Midlands. The Foundation contributed $7,500. A hands-on volunteer event was then planned and ultimately on May 23 a team of 12 employees helped a local charity clean-up a flooded housing complex.Their work was also featured on the local TV news.
Adopt-A-Highway
On May 8, local Osaic team members joined forces to clear up a stretch of road by the Oakdale office as part of a longtime bi-annual Adopt A Highway commitment by Woodbury Financial.This was the first time many had seen the newly-updated Osaic-sponsor roadside sign.
Volunteers cleared up 8 garbage bags worth of trash along the road and enjoyed some warm weather and camaraderie.
Junior Achievement
On May 17, Osaic home office employees in Oakdale spent time working with 8th grade students to prepare for budgeting and financial success.Students engaged with the volunteers to build their budget and determine what is required for financial success.