Increasingly, businesses support employee volunteer efforts

Duluth-based ALLETE, Inc. weaves volunteering and community engagement into the workplace culture at all its companies, including Minnesota Power and Superior Water, Light and Power. Among its many community-minded programs, the “Positively Powerful” team grant, funded by the Minnesota Power Foundation, gives employees the opportunity to volunteer at organizations they choose and bring along four or more of their colleagues. The foundation then provides a $500 grant to the organization. At least 500 employees have participated in Positively Powerful since it began in 2016, volunteering hours to all kinds of endeavors, from creating Second Harvest backpacks of nutritious food for schoolchildren to developing trails with COGGS.

Said Aimee Curtis, administrator of the foundation, “Employees find a cause they get passionate about. It can be team building in their department or just their friends. It’s employee led and driven and we support them along the way."

To view full article, visit BusinessNorth