Spreetail's Vision for Volunteering

Spreetail’s purpose is to make a dent in the universe by delighting millions of customers, creating opportunity and wealth for our team, while revolutionizing the communities we touch. Supporting our communities is ingrained in who we are and how we operate our business. A key element of this is through volunteerism – we believe in spending time IN our communities, FOR our communities.

Our vision for volunteerism is to create connections – first between Spreetailers and the nonprofits in our communities, and second among our team members through the impacts they make. We achieve this through creating opportunities for volunteerism with programs such as our bi-annual Volunteer Week, community time off perk, volunteer grants, and Inclusion Network partnerships. Each of these programs allows Spreetailers to connect with nonprofits, causes, and other Spreetailers to make a dent in our communities through volunteerism.

Volunteer Week

Twice a year we dedicate an entire week to volunteerism, aligning both virtual and in-person opportunities with nonprofits across all Spreetail cities. On average, we partner with 25+ different nonprofits that create around 300 volunteer slots for an average of 1000 volunteer hours. We can’t imagine a better way to invest in our communities than volunteering nearly 2000 hours annually together.

To ensure we’re making the right impact – we start by reaching out to nonprofits to inquire if they have a need for our support. It’s important when partnering with nonprofits to avoid becoming a burden by assuming they could benefit from the 10+ volunteers you have available. Every nonprofit has different support and team structures and coordinating volunteers is no small effort on their part.  

After we align on the need, we partner with the nonprofit to establish the optimal number of volunteers, hours needed, and day that works well during the volunteer week. Over time we’ve found that two-hour volunteer slots are optimal for both the nonprofit and our team members, but we’ll always flex to meet the needs of the nonprofit.  

“Spreetail volunteers means we’re going to have an amazing group of volunteers come in. They’re going to get a job done quickly and perfectly every time. All while having a smile on their face. Working with Spreetailers means I get to work with people who truly care about our mission.” - Rainey Korte, former Volunteer Coordinator at Friendship Home in Lincoln, NE

Spring 2022 Volunteer Week

Our Spring Volunteer Week is held every April in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, typically the third week in April. Next week, we’ll see nearly 400 Spreetailers spend time across nine cities, supporting 24 nonprofits, volunteering nearly 900 hours.  

This year, we’re excited to be partnering with our three Inclusion Networks (Spreetail Pride Alliance, Professional Women Rising, and Spreetail Professionals of Color) to support nonprofits that serve individuals aligned with their missions. Our Inclusion Networks exist to create connection among individuals who identify and/or support underrepresented populations and many of the nonprofits we partner with are aligned with these goals as well. Connecting these groups through volunteerism is just one of the opportunities we have to further our impact and make a dent in our communities.

We engaged with our Inclusion Networks to identify at least one in-person and one virtual volunteering opportunity to take place during Volunteer Week. We’re incredibly proud of the opportunities available for all Spreetailers to participate in supporting these marginalized groups and the nonprofits that exist to create a better life for them. During the Spring 2022 Volunteer Week, team members are volunteering at the following nonprofits to expand the impact and outreach of each Inclusion Network:

Professional Women Rising (PWR)

• Friendship Home in Lincoln, NE | Volunteers will work to enhance the shelter space to create a more welcoming environment for victims of domestic violence seeking support.
• Girls Empowerment Network in Austin, TX (virtual opportunity)| Volunteers can create affirmation bookmarks to inspire, encourage, and uplift girls OR create a 5–8-minute video on a ‘Day in the Life’ that encompasses daily work functions, their company culture, and the skills they exercise on the job to inform and educate young women on opportunities available to them.

Spreetail Professionals of Color (SPOC)

• Malone Center in Lincoln, NE | Volunteers will be participating in an afterschool activity with the kids. Volunteers will also beautify Malone’s Community Center by helping with yard work and spring cleaning.
• RISE in Omaha, NE (virtual opportunity) | Volunteers will be supporting RISE’s Online Business Coaching program by reviewing and providing feedback for individuals re-entering the workforce post incarceration by reviewing a personal statement, cover letter, resume, and beginning phase of a business ideation.

Spreetail Pride Alliance (SPA)

• OUT Nebraska in Lincoln, NE (in-person and virtual opportunity) | Volunteers will participate in a virtual letter writing workshop to learn how to format and write effective letters to legislators. OUT Nebraska is currently focusing on letting writing for the Equality Act.

We’re honored to support our team members, our Inclusion Networks, our local nonprofits, and our communities through our bi-annual Volunteer Week. We will continue to pursue and evolve our vision for volunteerism and how we create lasting impacts for the communities that have impacted us. Happy National Volunteer Week!