At Kohl’s, community volunteering is a distinguishing quality of our associates. As an organization, we celebrate associates who donate their time to making a difference. Last year, Kohl’s associates volunteered nearly 400,000 hours for more than 5,000 charities. This volunteerism has netted more than $180 million in corporate rewards to charities since 2001.
We support our associates' volunteerism, and while for the health and safety of our associates and communities we’ve chosen to temporarily suspend our traditional team-based volunteer program, our associates asked us for a different kind of volunteer program that would still allow them to give back. The Kohl’s team came together to create a Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program, which allows our associates to continue to volunteer and provide financial support for eligible nonprofit organizations in their communities.
See below for how the Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program works and hear from a few associates who have used the new program to volunteer.
How It Works
With Kohl’s Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program, in effect through January of 2021, for every volunteer hour tracked by each associate, Kohl’s will make a donation to the eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The program is completely voluntary and empowers associates to give back safely and with more flexibility than Kohl’s traditional volunteer program. With the hourly program, associates can volunteer virtually, in-person, individually or in small groups. In addition, the program covers more ways for associates to give back any way they can, including virtual volunteering, participation in formal meetings or events where associate volunteers hold a leadership position, individual blood donations, community-based events like awareness runs and walks, providing vital community services and other community awareness activities in which volunteers are advocates for helping drive a nonprofit’s mission.
Associates in Action
Since the launch of the program in August, we’ve seen more than 1,500 Kohl’s associates track more than 8,000 volunteer hours, benefitting more than 200 nonprofit organizations.
We connected with a few associate volunteers who have taken advantage of the Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program this year to hear about their experience giving back and why volunteering is important to them.
Paris Felix, Assistant Merchandise Manager
Paris Felix, Assistant Merchandise Manager and Community Champion for Kohl’s Black Professionals Business Resource Group (BRG), organized a socially distanced, outside volunteer event with the BRG for Habitat for Humanity where a small group of Kohl’s associate volunteers completed framing and siding on a house.
Volunteering has just always been a part of my life. I participated in the Girl Scouts when I was younger and did a lot of philanthropy work through that organization and my church. Now, being the community champion for the Black Professionals BRG, I get to plan volunteer events for our members. Having a hand in making a difference in someone’s life means a lot to me, and I’m excited about Kohl’s new Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program! People are in need now more than ever. Volunteering your time is extremely helpful, and the grant that Kohl’s provides on top of that can really go a long way for nonprofit organizations. – Paris Felix
Monika Dominguez, Assistant Store Manager, Kohl’s Temple, Texas Store
Monika Domiguez and other associate volunteers participated in individual, virtual volunteer opportunities with Kids Matter International in which they created videos of themselves reading children's books to local schools and nonprofits. Additionally, associates created sidewalk drawings of their favorite book covers and characters to submit to local schools and nonprofits.
Volunteering is something I’ve always done, and I think it's important to serve those who are in need. I've been fortunate to have had great opportunities in my life, and I feel it's important to help and give those same opportunities to others. Being a part of an organization that gives me the opportunity to serve my community is not only a rewarding experience but also humbling and fulfilling. Throughout my life, giving back to my community has not only helped develop me professionally, but has helped shape me personally. It drives me to strive to become a better leader, a better person and inspires me to help develop others and for that I'm truly grateful.
I'm so excited about Kohl’s new volunteer program. During these unprecedented times, I'm extremely excited to be able to continue to show that Kohl's cares about our community and is taking every initiative to serve our community in a safe and helpful way. – Monika Dominguez
Mary Purdy, Senior Coordinator of Credit Strategy & Engagement
Mary Purdy participated virtually in Make-A-Wish Wisconsin’s Walk For Wishes event in which more than 30 Kohl’s associate volunteers walked remotely for one hour to raise funds to grant life-changing wishes to children living with critical illnesses.
I love being able to give back by volunteering whether it's organizing non-perishable foods or walking for an hour. Understanding the impact of volunteering is so rewarding! Giving back means that I can personally help those in need and organizations in my community. It's an opportunity to reciprocate what the community has done for me in the form of volunteering. I think it's great we are able to adapt our ways of volunteering for a safer way of giving back. I am excited to volunteer again soon! – Mary Purdy
Jacob Zausch, Senior Community Relations Coordinator
Jake and members of Kohl’s Community Relations team organized a socially distanced volunteer event where they removed invasive species of weeds at Menomonee Park in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin in support of the Friends of Retzer nonprofit organization. Friends of Retzer helps support environmental conservation and education in Waukesha County.
Volunteering and giving back to the community is important to me because it shows the good that people can do. I have so much pride in my hometown, and I feel a responsibility to preserve and enhance it. I want to be a part of a community that protects our resources, our services, and our neighbors.
I am very excited about the new Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program. I love the flexibility it offers associates and nonprofits. This new program opens up so many more opportunities to make a difference, especially with the challenges faced in our current environment. – Jacob Zausch
To learn more about Kohl’s Temporary Hourly Volunteer Program and read about the ways Kohl’s and its associates give back, visit Corporate.Kohls.com or read Kohl’s 2019 CSR Report.