Doing Good, Giving Back: The 2023 Week of Service Recap

For Atlantic Bay team members, this work is more than just mortgages.

During the week of May 8-12, more than 200 Atlantic Bay team members ventured into their communities in droves for the 2023 Week of Service, all in the name of offering a helping hand to 60+ local charities, nonprofits, and volunteer organizations they hold dearest.

The Week of Service is an annual event sponsored by Atlantic Bay Cares, our official employee-run charitable outlet. It’s a chance for team members to use their paid volunteer hours to assist in AB Cares’ mission statement of doing good and giving back to the communities we serve beyond the typical mortgage guidance or loan contract. It’s simple: when you join the Atlantic Bay family, you unleash opportunities to help meet the needs of the many families in our communities across the country.

Atlantic Bay team members can send an email to AB Cares throughout the year to share the many causes most important to them. The committee then curates a list of charitable opportunities by region throughout the week that team members can sign up to attend.

Some employees spent their hours painting emergency shelters in years past, while others threw on a pair of gardening gloves and planted flowers in front of their local churches and community centers. Another popular charitable opportunity has been, and continues to be, building playsets or packing ready bags for Roc Solid Foundation, a Hampton Roads-based nonprofit focused on bringing hope to children and families affected by pediatric cancer through the power of play.

One opportunity that arose this year was handing out food to those currently experiencing homelessness and others in need at a Virginia Beach food bank. Director of Servicing Alison Barger worked at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC) during the Week of Service. “We prepared food packages for the hungry, whether they arrived in a car, on bike, or on foot,” says Alison. “It was an awesome experience to help those that were in need. The recipients were so thankful for the help and the donations.”

Alison was also kind enough to share what that time away from our desks doing good and giving back means to our communities. “The JCOC was so happy we were there to help. They have so much to do with very limited resources, so they can use all the help they can get.”

“To see Atlantic Bay showing up time after time is such a good representation of us as a company and that we care about our communities.”

Of course, Alison wasn’t the only team member rolling up their sleeves and putting in the work last week. Over in Norfolk, National Project & Event Specialist Heather Stark boarded the USS Wisconsin to provide the 887-foot-long battleship nicknamed “Big Wisky” with a little TLC. “This year, I instantly felt the impact of what we were doing when I saw how many people were visiting the ship from all over the world and hearing how small the crew is that keeps the USS Wisconsin in great shape for all to see. Very surreal,” shared Heather.

“Volunteering has many benefits – making a difference, personal growth, building relationships, fulfillment, and creating a better world that we all live in. However, it was great to volunteer with other teammates from various departments that we don’t get to see very often.” It sounds like Atlantic Bay took its “one-team approach” from the office and on to the water. Right on, Heather and team!

“Giving back strengthens community bonds and creates positive change!”

Our community is at the core of everything we do. And we must support those organizations positively impacting our community and its diverse inhabitants. Atlantic Bay employees can visit the AB Cares SharePoint page and read the ABLife Newsletter every month to stay up to date on all the charitable opportunities in their region.

To view more images from the week’s volunteer opportunities, click here!