Why We Love Investing in and Giving Back to Our Community

In our personal lives, many of us choose to volunteer in our communities to connect with others, provide support, and contribute to the betterment of our surroundings. At Spherion, our franchise owners and corporate team alike also believe in the power of volunteering and the importance of giving back to our community. 

Spherion’s official community giving programs help us form strong local connections. By supporting local initiatives and getting involved in community activities, our local franchisees can show they care about being good neighbors and valued staffing partners. The positive impact we create helps both the business and the communities that we’re a part of grow together. It’s a win-win in our book!

We’re proud to be a company that cares deeply about civic and philanthropic efforts, with a franchise owner network that shares this vision and works hard to contribute to their local communities. Whether it’s through volunteer work, scholarships, or partnerships, we’re committed to making a meaningful impact. Now, let’s show you how—and why.

Giving back to our community demonstrates our values 

First, let’s start with the why. For us, giving back to our community is a powerful way we embody our core values:

• We are local: We have deep roots in the communities we serve. Our franchise owners know their local areas intimately, allowing us to support causes that matter most to our neighbors. By donating to local nonprofits and volunteering our time, we strengthen these connections and contribute to the well-being of our communities.
• We are resourceful: Giving back to our community in a resourceful way means we seek out new ways to leverage our skills and abilities to make a positive impact. Whether it’s through fundraising for causes near to our staffs’ hearts or volunteering to help current and future workers succeed, we use our capabilities to support and uplift those around us.
• We are engaged: All of us at Spherion take an active role in our communities. We don’t just operate in these areas; we participate and contribute to their growth and development. 
• We are insightful: Our understanding of our communities’ needs means we can choose to support initiatives that best align with these needs, ensuring our efforts have the greatest impact.
• We are invested: We’re here for the long haul; after all, each of our franchises is locally owned and operated, and our owners have a long-term commitment to their communities. We believe in building lasting relationships and contributing to various community giveback programs to help make the places we call home even better.

These values guide our efforts, leading us to pursue opportunities to revitalize our communities and invest in those around us.

Supporting the next generation of talent with the Sandy Mazur Scholarship

Now, let’s take a look at some of the ways in which we give back to our community—starting with the Sandy Mazur Scholarship. These scholarships are dedicated to supporting the next generation of career aspirants. They provide crucial support to individuals pursuing their career dreams, helping to alleviate the financial burden of education and training. 

This year, our franchise community awarded Kimarra Turner and Hannah DeGraaff, two 2024 high school graduates, $5,000 each as part of the fifth annual Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship. 

Kimarra is deeply involved in her community. She is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and a school ambassador at her high school, acting as a liaison between students and faculty. She credits extracurricular activities such as tennis and cheerleading with teaching her the value of teamwork, dedication, and perseverance, and her work as a CNA with giving her the opportunity to spread kindness and positivity to those most in need of it. 

Hannah is similarly invested in her own community, where she has sought out a range of opportunities to pay it forward to others. She has provided local blind citizens with transportation and living assistance while also working at her local supermarket as a checkout clerk. At school, she has competed with the Forensic Sciences Club to win the SkillsUSA Texas Championships competition—and has already begun taking college classes. 

Created in honor of former Spherion president Sandy Mazur and her 19 years with the company, this Spherion scholarship is funded by generous donations from our franchise community. This year, we took our fundraising efforts to the next level with a silent and live auction at our National Meeting. We are thrilled to announce that we raised just over $20,000, and we can’t wait to see the promising individuals who will put those funds to good use and continue to make a positive impact in their community.

Annual giving through the Community Giveback program

Beyond the Sandy Mazur Scholarship, we also believe in giving back to our community on a larger scale through our annual Community Giveback. Through this philanthropy program, each of our franchise locations donates funds to a local nonprofit that is close to their heart and making a positive impact in their area. This way, we can support causes that truly matter to our team and our neighbors.

And while Community Giveback is largely donation-based, we don’t stop there. In fact, many of our corporate staff and franchise staff also elect to volunteer their time to local nonprofits during our giving program. Some choose to donate to one organization and volunteer for others, spreading their support even further. Our Columbia, South Carolina, office is a great example—they've been volunteering for a different nonprofit each month all year!  

We do all this to show that we're not just in our communities for business—we're here because we genuinely care. By giving back, we aim to make a real difference and invest in the well-being of the communities where we live and work.

We love giving back to our community—and we want our franchise owners to as well

We believe in giving back and making a positive impact, and our franchisees are dedicated to supporting local nonprofits, both through financial donations and volunteer efforts. So if you care about being part of a company that truly values its communities, then Spherion is the franchise for you. 

When you join Spherion, you’re joining a company that values social responsibility and strives to uplift the communities it serves. We invite you to learn more about our initiatives and see why Spherion is a company you can be proud to be a part of, both professionally and personally. Curious to learn more? We love to hear it! Contact Dan Brunell, VP of Franchise Development, for more!